Points of View, Social Positioning and Intercultural Relations

Abstract

The challenge of intercultural relations has become an important issue in many societies. In spite of the claimed value of intercultural diversity, successful outcomes as predicted by the contact hypothesis are but one possibility; on occasions intercultural contact leads to intolerance and hostility. Research has documented that one key mediator of contact is perspective taking. Differences in perspective are significant in shaping perceptions of contact and reactions to it. The ability to take the perspective of the other and to understand it in its own terms is a necessary condition for successful intergroup outcomes. This paper sheds light on the processes involved in intercultural perspective taking by elaborating the notion of the point of view based on social representations theory. The point of view provides a theory of social positioning that can analyse cultural encounters between social actors, and identify the conditions for positive relations. Insights are drawn from a study of public views on the relative merits of science and religion, following a documentary by Richard Dawkins in which it was suggested that religion is a source of evil. The findings demonstrate that the point of view may be categorised according to a three‐way taxonomy according to the extent to which it is open to another perspective. A point of view may be monological—closed to another's perspective entirely, dialogical—open to the possibility of another perspective while maintaining some percepts as unchallengeable, or metalogical—open to another's perspective based on the other's frame of reference.

Representation of Cruise: Cruisers and Noncruisers Cross Views

“…Social representations are a respectable investigation field and a healthy and robust tradition of social psychology research (Tsoukala, ) in many countries around the world (Farr, ; Wagner, Valencia, & Elejabarrieta, ; Moscovici, ; Howarth, ; Quenza, ). Social representations that received great attention from scholars all over the world (Deaux & Philogene, ; Moscovici, ) were used to study knowledge and knowledge production in its various forms (Sammut & Gaskell, ), and they were developed within many fields of social psychology (Farr, ; Jodelet, ; Moscovici, ). Today, the theory of social representations is seen as a ‘systemic theory’, important to the future development of social psychology (Palmonari, ) but also for brand research (Michel, ; Tafani, Michel, & Rosa, ; Bodet & Lacassagne, ; Lebrun, Souchet, & Bouchet, ), market analysis (Lebrun & Bouchet, ) consumption analysis (Gonzalez, Korchia, Menuet, & Urbain, ) and transport problems (Dickinson & Robbins, , ; Dickinson et al ., ).…”

Identity and acculturation: The case of naturalised citizens in Britain

“…However, knowledge encounters may also entail tensions and contradictions, suggesting that the dialogue between different representations is not always straightforward or even likely (Jovchelovitch, 2007;Sammut & Gaskell, 2010). Semantic barriers may inhibit the dialogue between different social representations (Gillespie, 2008).…”

Representations of a Destination City Break. Analysis Based on Free Associations

“…According to Tsoukalas (2006), social representations are a respectable investigation field and a healthy and robust tradition of social psychology research in many countries around the world (Farr, 1987;Howarth, 2002;Moscovici, 2001;Quenza, 2005;Wagner et al, 1996). Social representations have been used to study knowledge and knowledge production in its various forms (Sammut & Gaskell, 2009), and they have been developed within many fields of social psychology (Farr, 1987;Jodelet, 1991;Moscovici, 2001). Today, the theory of social representations is seen as a "systemic theory," important to the future development of social psychology (Palmonari, 2008) and for brand research (Bodet, Meurgey, & Lacassagne, 2009;Michel, 1999;Tafani, Michel, & Rosa, 2009), market analysis (Baillergeau & Benavent, 2006;Lebrun & Bouchet, 2010), consumption analysis (Gonzalez, Korchia, Menuet, & Urbain, 2009), and transport problems Dickinson & Robbins, 2007, 2009.…”