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This study focuses on life experiences and social representations related to gender in the context of health among young French lay people aged from 18 to 21 years ( N = 47). Qualitative analysis of the discursive content of nine focus groups illuminated the lay thinking underlying gender issues in the health context. Broadly speaking, group composition (i.e. unisex, mixed) had an impact on participants' discourse construction. Through their discourses, participants came to 'naturalise' the health issues and practices of each sex/gender through the biological specificities of men and women. In addition, discourse content underscores a differentiated 'imperative of health'.

An ad hoc review of the existing literature concerning the study of social representations (SRs; Moscovici, 1961/1976) in children and adolescents was conducted in order to put forward theoretical and methodological proposals on the study and development of SRs, and to highlight future directions. The review was performed using the PsycINFO database (up to September 2016), and included 60 eligible works. While the main part of the work sample does not mention theoretical and/or methodological implications (41.7%), other contributions highlight the necessity to take into account: (a) the active role of children/adolescents as well as their social interactions in the creation of SRs, (b) the relevance of studying SRs in these populations for developing the theory of SRs, (c) the expression of SRs in children's everyday actions, (d) the use of suitable methods for children/adolescents, and (e) the link between the psychology of development and the theory of SRs.

Many health campaigns are designed to reduce dangerous binge drinking and challenge misperceptions of the prevailing drinking norm. For drinkers, this situation is problematic. Information about health risks and statements that only a few people binge drink (low descriptive norm) threaten their self-integrity, so to combat this self-threat and preserve their positive self-integrity, drinkers discredit the message as a coping strategy. Research suggests that this discrediting strategy could be countered with a self-affirmation procedure.In the present study, we attempted to demonstrate the beneficial effects of self-affirmation, and measure just how far it can protect self-integrity. Across three experiments, we found that self-affirmation does indeed reduce discrediting, but only providing there is no normative information in the health message. Individuals prefer the discrediting strategy to selfaffirmation when they are told that few people binge drink among their age group. The theoretical implications for self-affirmation are discussed.

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