From theory to metatheory in social representations: the lines of argument of a theoretical-methodological debate

Rosa, Annamaria Silvana de

doi:10.1177/053901894033002008

Cited by 41 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Nevertheless, corresponding to-and sometimes because of-the diffusion of the approach, discussions concerning the legitimacy of the notion of representation emerged under the impulse given by post-modern epistemological criticisms and the dominance of the linguistic and discursive turns. This situation has resulted in some important critical debates, reflected in articles and books, which gave rise to different orientations of research in the field of social representations (De Rosa, 1992). As we shall see later, these orientations have gained autonomy, prefiguring the present state of the field.…”

Section: Periods Of Diffusion Of Social Representations Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Representations: The Beautiful Invention

Jodelet

2008

J Theory Soc Behav

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Psychoanalysis: Its Image and Its Public is a perfect illustration of Tarde's claim that 'beautiful' should be reserved for ideas that lead to a discovery of more ideas and to an invention that we can judge as fruitful for the future. The article examines the influence of the book in geographical, historical and scientific contexts and traces the development and diffusion of the theory of social representations throughout four periods. The article highlights the difference between the first edition in 1961, and the second one in 1976, and it examines the development of Moscovici's ideas over time. The first edition of Psychoanalysis, based on the criticism of sociology of knowledge, underlines common sense as a new object of study, attempting to capture complex social phenomena. It shows common sense as a legitimate object of study that interweaves social, cultural and individual dimensions in the constitution of social reality. The 1976 edition emphasises that language and communication and its role in the theory of social knowledge. The book has had manifold impact on new areas of study. An overview of international research in social representations shows how this work has inspired scholars all over the world, has lead to creating Schools of research and to innovative proposals not only in terms of domains that have been studied but also in terms of theoretical models and methodological concerns.

show abstract

Section: Periods Of Diffusion Of Social Representations Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Representations: The Beautiful Invention

Jodelet

2008

J Theory Soc Behav

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, this sharp dichotomization between science and lay thinking has been one of the most criticized aspects of the theory. A number of authors have suggested that the ‘reified’/‘consensual’ universes distinction is over‐accentuated (Bangerter, 1995; Wells, 1987), downplays overlaps between common sense and scientific thought (De Rosa, 1994; McKinlay & Potter, 1987; Purkhardt, 1993), prevents the theory's application to the study of science (Farr, 1987) and suggests an overly generalized view of science (Räty & Snellman, 1992). In addition, the theory's original conceptualization of two distinct universes dominated by two forms of knowledge development fails to acknowledge the multiplicity of modern society in which knowledge and ideas bounce between various social spheres each with particular roles in the circulation of knowledge.…”

Section: Social Representations Theory and Non‐lay Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

Social representations and professional knowledge: The representation of mental illness among mental health practitioners

Morant

2006

British J Social Psychol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The closing decades of the twentieth century saw a dramatic shift from institutional to community-based care for the mentally ill. This paper describes a study of the social representation of mental illness by mental health professionals working in Britain and France during this time of major policy change. Such professionals play a vital social role in translating policy directives into practical work with laypeople, yet their representations are relatively under-researched. Data in this study derive from semistructured interviews on the nature of mental ill-health and mental health work conducted with a multidisciplinary sample of professionals (N=60). Consonant with community care policies, analysis suggests that professionals conceptualize mental ill-health and its treatment in social rather than medical terms. However, uncertainty characterizes many aspects of their representations. This is associated with eclectic working practices combining multiple strategies derived from diverse theoretical traditions. The changing policy context appears to have augmented this representational uncertainty. Psychodynamic perspectives are more influential amongst French practitioners compared with their British counterparts. The study highlights how social representations held by 'intermediary' groups reflect their interface between scientific and lay spheres. The role of power and the function of social representations in reconciling sources of tension and ambiguity associated with this unique social position are discussed.

show abstract

“…I am aware that the space opened up by the theory is far from homogeneous. There are examples of research being carried out under its umbrella that still draw on practices that compromise some of its basic assumptions (Allansdottir, Jovchelovitch & Stathopoulou, 1993;Wagner, 1994;de Rosa, 1994). Yet I contend that there is a sufficient body of theory and empirical evidence which combine to demonstrate the renewing character of social representations in social psychology, and my argument builds upon and seeks to develop this material.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In Defence of Representations

Jovchelovitch¹

1996

J Theory Soc Behav

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

From theory to metatheory in social representations: the lines of argument of a theoretical-methodological debate

Cited by 41 publications

References 27 publications

Social Representations: The Beautiful Invention

Social Representations: The Beautiful Invention

Social representations and professional knowledge: The representation of mental illness among mental health practitioners

In Defence of Representations

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About