Behavioral Effects Following a Radiation
Accident in Brazil: Lessons for the Future

Lincoln da Silva Gimenes and
Laercia Abreu Vasconcelos

The animal research was necessary to determine the behavioral effects of radiation per se, apart from the social factors that influence human reactions. Under simple contingency procedures, we observed dose-related reductions in response rates. Interactions were found with other variables, such as baseline conditions and type of reinforcer. Under complex contingency procedures, such as concurrent schedules, the effects were related to the schedule components. Some of our animal research has been presented at ABA and other meetings and has been published in a Brazilian psychology journal (Gimenes & Vasconcelos, 1999).

In the human work, we tried to explain the maintenance of health problem behaviors (e.g., anxiety and illness complaints) that were not related to medical findings over the years following the accident. We came up with three possible general sources of control: 1) Information – or lack of information or misinformation – about radiation and its long-term effects, generating feelings of uncertainty about the future health of those involved as well as their offspring; 2) Stimulus control provided by media coverage for years after the accident and a law suit to collect damages that was just settled about two years ago, constantly bringing back recollections about the accident; and 3) Social and economic consequences of being an accident victim. Most people were in the lower socioeconomic class, with low income and educational levels and little access to primary care services. After the accident, they became national figures, received monetary compensation, and had access to a fine health service. These contingencies may serve to maintain health-related complaints.

A behavioral economic study was conducted with this group, considering both delay and probability of reinforcement. We observed flat discount rate curves for delay of reinforcement, in contrast with the general findings of an increasing discount function with longer delays. This result suggests their difficulties or avoidance in working with tasks involving future outcomes, corroborating the findings of the social contingency analysis regarding the aversiveness of dealing with the future. Implications for psychological services directed to these people are evident. Part of the human research has been published in a Latin American journal devoted to disaster by La Red, an organization for the study and prevention of disasters in Latin America (Gimenes & Vasconcelos, 1997).

Currently, we are undertaking a follow-up with those individuals who remain under the care of the Foundation. We also are starting an evaluation with people involved with a toxic waste repository that was constructed near a small town close to Goiania to house the radioactive remains of the accident. Many health complaints have been made by the town residents and the guards who worked at the site watching over the waste before the final structure was built. This project will include neurobehavioral evaluations, in collaboration with Professor David Eckerman from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as a social contingency analysis of the complaint behaviors. On another level, we are negotiating with the Brazilian Nuclear Commission Agency to participate in a project to train people to prevent accidents or to deal with them appropriately if they happen.

One lesson we have learned is that our government agencies were not well prepared to deal with these kind of situations, particularly regarding human affairs. There was a lengthy quarrel between state and federal governments, and between different agencies, regarding their responsibilities. The electrical power shortage this country currently is experiencing may result in additional nuclear plants, requiring efforts to prepare the population to accept and to deal with this widely unknown energy source. Unfortunately, money for research on how to solve these issues is very scarce.

References

Gimenes, L.S. & Vasconcelos, L.A. (1997). Los desastres radiativos y sus efectos a largo plazo: El caso Cesio-137. (Radioactive disasters and their long term effects: The Cesium-137 case) Desastres & Sociedad, 8, 55-62.

Gimenes, L.S. & Vasconcelos, L.A. (1999). Efeitos da radiacao ionizante sobre comportamentos mantidos por contingencias operantes. (Effects of ionizing radiation upon behaviors maintained by operant contingencies) Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa, 15, 219-225.

Lincoln da Silva Gimenes received his Ph.D. from The University of Chicago and is currently Associate Professor at the Institute of Psychology of the University of Brasilia, Brazil.
Laercia Abreu Vasconcelos received her Ph.D. from the University of Brasilia, where she is currently Associate Professor at the Institute of Psychology.

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