Social Representations: Characteristics, Theory, Concept According to Moscovici and Jodelet and Examples

The social representations they can be defined as systems that concentrate meanings and that function as a frame of reference so that people can interpret the things that happen, giving them meaning. Through social representations people can guide their day to day.

At the same time, it is possible to make sense of circumstances, phenomena and other people within the social world in which individuals are immersed. That is to say, that social representations are elaborated collectively within the communication between individuals.

Serge Moscovici proposed the theory of social representations

Social representations are formed spontaneously through personal experiences, knowledge of the world and information obtained through culture, education and communication (including new technologies), among other sources.

The theory of social representations is studied within the field of social psychology and was originally proposed by Serge Moscovici.

Theory of social representations

This theory was proposed by Moscovici in his 1961 work, based on the concepts of Durkheim and Lévi-Bruhl.

Slopes

Subsequently, this theory was divided into two aspects: the processual aspect and the structural aspect.

The processual aspect of Moscovici is also known as qualitative and emphasizes the space of interaction in which a reinterpretation is continually being carried out to collectively elaborate representations.

From this perspective, it is considered that the study of social representations should be carried out from a hermeneutic approach, putting first the understanding of people as generators of meaning and language.

On the other hand, the structural side is represented by Jean Claude Abric. In this aspect, emphasis is placed on the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of some aspects of the representations.

characteristics

Moscovici proposed that not any topic or phenomenon can generate a social representation within a group.

For an object to generate a social representation, it must determine significantly the relationships between the object and the group.

Therefore, the object must be important in some way for the people in the group. This can occur because the object:

- It generates a revolutionary change in the way of seeing the world and the people.

- It implies dramatic and impacting events that affect the group as such.

- Involves processes that are basic in social life and group interaction.

On the other hand, for a group to generate social representations, this must be characterized because its members are aware of their belonging to the group and can clearly know who belongs or not to it.

In addition to this, knowledge of social representations, even if implicit, must circulate within the group and be integrated into the day-to-day life of the members.

Processes

Social representations have two basic processes on which their emergence and organization depends: objectification and anchoring.

Objectification is the transformation of the elements of social representation into concrete experiences. This process consists of the phases of selective construction, structuring schematization and naturalization.

The anchoring is the integration of the novel object in the previous reference frame of the group, modifying the reality of the group and being used on a daily basis.

The anchoring process has a series of modalities: assignment of meaning, instrumentalization of knowledge, integration of anchoring and objectification and rooting in the thought system.

Organization

The representations are organized around a central node and a peripheral system. In the first place, the central node is the system that gives meaning and is related to the events in the group (in its history, sociological and ideological).

This node is stable and continuous, and it is to this that the representation should have permanence within the group.

Second, the peripheral system corresponds to the individual part and is given from the experiences of each person in their specific contexts and new experiences and information.

For this reason, the peripheral system is composed of elements that are more malleable and unstable.

Concept according to Moscovici

Moscovici presented the concept of social representations from the study of the representation of psychoanalysis in different groups in France.

Through this study he was able to analyze how these representations are socially constructed and configure a meaning in the daily reality of these groups.

According to Moscovici, social representations are dynamic groups that range from the theories of collective sciences to the interpretation of reality.

These social representations determine the communications, values ​​or ideas shared by the group, and the desired or accepted behaviors.

Concept according to Denise Jodelet

Denise Jodelet is a student and collaborator of Moscovici who has been responsible for bringing the theory of social representations out of France and has been responsible for capturing, deepening and popularizing the work of Moscovici.

Jodelet has studied especially the social representations related to the field of health and physical and mental illness.

According to her, social representations are a type of specific social thought that is directed in a practical way towards the areas of communication, understanding and domain of the environment, not only social but also material and ideal.

One of Jodelet's major contributions was how he highlighted the role of culture as a space where social representations occur. In addition, he advocates the study of social representations in their entirety and not in a fragmented way.

Example of social representations in a community

An investigation conducted in Mexico during the twentieth century in thousands of adolescents and young people showed how there was a discrepancy between existing information on HIV / AIDS and the behavior of young people to protect themselves from such infection (Valencia, 1998).

On the one hand, they had information about condom use, about HIV / AIDS and the transmission routes; however, they carried out risky behaviors.

In the investigation it was possible to observe how this population had carried out a process that allowed them to respond to the HIV / AIDS epidemic.

In this way, they associated the disease with certain specific groups that they considered alien to them and that were stigmatized: homosexuals, drug addicts and prostitutes.

In this way, this"knowledge"in the group was naturalized, until it became a reality that allowed them to make decisions in their day to day.

For example, since young people did not consider themselves to be in the risk group, they thought they were not likely to be infected with HIV / AIDS.

Therefore, 85% said they would not use condoms if the sexual partner was a loved one, if they seemed to be in good health or were a known person.

References

1. Castorina, J.A., Barreiro, A. and Clement F. (2005). The imprint of Piagetian thought in the theory of social representations. In J.A. Castorina (Ed.), Conceptual construction and social representations ( pp. 149-176). Madrid: Miño and Dávila.
2. Esparza, S. L. L. (2003). Interview with Denise Jodelet: made on October 24, 2002 by Óscar Rodríguez Cerda. Relations , 24 (93), pp.115-134.
3. Jodelet, D. (1991). Madness and Social Representations . London: Harvester / Wheatsheaf.
4. Muñoz, G. F. J. (2005). Basic elements of group psychology . Editorial University of Huelva.
5. Quintero Vergara, M. (2008). The nature of social representations. Latin American Journal of Social Sciences, Children and Youth, 6 (1), pp. 55-80.
6. Rodríguez Salazar, T. and García Curiel, M. (2007 ). Social representations: theory and research . Guadalajara: Editorial CUCSH-UDG.
7. Valencia, S. (1998). Why young people do not prevent AIDS? A psychosocial perspective In F. Mercado Martínez and L. Robles Silva (Eds.), Qualitative research in health. Perspectives from Western Mexico . Guadalajara: University of Guadalajara.