The aim of this article is to demonstrate how the achievements of the
behavioural approach to competences may enhance the study of translation competence. The
first section sets out the basic premises of the behavioural approach to studying competences
in the workplace from its US origins in the field of work psychology to its present application
in human resources management. The second section describes four translation studies which
fall within the behavioural approach to studying competences: a competence model proposal
for identifying good translators; two surveys carried out with the aim to draw up competence
repertoires according to professional profiles of translators and interpreters; and a study of
translator competence in a business context. The article concludes with a discussion on the
minor impact of behavioural studies in Translation Studies; proposes that behavioural studies
should be developed further marking out possible lines of research; underlines the complementary
nature of behavioural and cognitive studies applied to research into translation
competence; stresses the need to describe professional profiles with an eye to optimising
translator training and, finally, draws up development perspectives of behavioural studies in
our field.
