Propagation of social representations

Based on a minimal formalism of social representations as a set of associated cognems, a simple model of propagation of representations is presented. Assuming that subjects share the constitutive cognems, the model proposes that mere focused attention on the set of cognems in the field of common conscience may replicate the pattern of representation from context into subjects, or, from subject to subject, through actualization by language, where cognems are represented by verbal signs. Limits of the model are discussed, and evolutionist perspectives are presented with the support of field data

Perceived self-other differences in persuasibility: the effects of interpersonal and group-based similarity

Two experiments examined the effects of interpersonal and group-based similarity on perceived self-other differences in persuasibility (i.e. on third-person effects, Davison, 1983). Results of Experiment 1 (N=121), based on experimentally-created groups, indicated that third-person perceptions with respect to the impact of televised product ads were accentuated when the comparison was made with interpersonally different others. Contrary to predictions, third-person perceptions were not affected by group-based similarity (i.e. ingroup or outgroup other). Results of Experiment 2 (N = 102), based an an enduring social identity, indicated that both interpersonal and group-based similarity moderated perceptions of the impact on self and other of least-liked product ads. Overall, third-person effects were more pronounced with respect to interpersonally dissimilar others. However, when social identity was salient, information about interpersonal similarity of the target did not affect perceived self-other differences with respect to ingroup targets. Results also highlighted significant differences in third-person perceptions according to the perceiver's affective evaluation of the persuasive message. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Young Adults’ Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding “Music” and “Loud Music” Across Countries: Applications of Social Representations Theory

Exposure to loud music, especially by young people, has significantly increased in recent years as a result of (a) advancements in technology in terms of personal music players and smart mobile phones, and (b) streaming of music through these devices. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that some 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of developing hearing loss due to exposure to recreational noise such as music. It is suggested that knowledge and attitude of young adults toward music has bearing upon their music listening habits and thereby influences who is at risk of developing music induced hearing loss. Hence, researchers from various fields have tried to understand the knowledge and attitude of young adults regarding loud music. However, there is some criticism of attitude studies as there is little relation between expressed attitude and behavior. Some recent studies have explored the social representations of music and loud music using the Social Representations Theory (SRT). It has been suggested that social representation is more fundamental than attitude (or in other words social representation informs attitude), hence, it has a better relation to behavior. The current paper: (1) provides an overview of studies on knowledge and attitude of young adults toward loud music, (2) discusses the limitations of attitude theories and introduces SRT, and (3) provides a summary of social representation studies on “music” and “loud music” in young adults from different countries

Flood risk perceptions and the UK media: Moving beyond “once in a lifetime” to “Be Prepared” reporting

In the winter 2015/2016 a series of storms resulted in widespread flooding in northern England, damaging hundreds of properties, disrupting transport and causing public disdain. The flooding was widely covered in the media. This article develops a methodological framework to conceptualise factors influencing risk perception related to flood events, discusses the media’s role as amplifier or attenuator of risks, and demonstrates how understanding risk perception can influence the deployment of effective policies to modify and reinforce more accurate risk perception to increase individual and community resilience and create a two-way dialogue between those risk and authorities. Given that climate change induced increased flood risk is a reality and the evidence that this is not yet understood by the public, nor addressed by the media, we suggest an urgent shift from the status quo media coverage based on blame to one of “Be Prepared”. Furthermore, we suggest risk communication be based on better understanding of how at-risk communities perceive risk

Banjo Pack n°1

L’ACIM a constaté un engouement des participants pour les ateliers organisés en visioconférence. La BML a donc décidé de lancer sur le même modèle un rendez-vous thématique régulier les « RETEX » (pour « Retours d’Expériences »)

Social representations and the politics of participation

Recent work has called for the integration of different perspectives into the field of political psychology (Haste, 2012). This chapter suggests that one possible direction that such efforts can take is studying the role that social representations theory (SRT) can play in understanding political participation and social change. Social representations are systems of common-sense knowledge and social practice; they provide the lens through which to view and create social and political realities, mediate people's relations with these sociopolitical worlds and defend cultural and political identities. Social representations are therefore key for conceptualising participation as the activity that locates individuals and social groups in their sociopolitical world. Political participation is generally seen as conditional to membership of sociopolitical groups and therefore is often linked to citizenship. To be a citizen of a society or a member of any social group one has to participate as such. Often political participation is defined as the ability to communicate one's views to the political elite or to the political establishment (Uhlaner, 2001), or simply explicit involvement in politics and electoral processes (Milbrath, 1965). However, following scholars on ideology (Eagleton, 1991; Thompson, 1990) and social knowledge (Jovchelovitch, 2007), we extend our understanding of political participation to all social relations and also develop a more agentic model where individuals and groups construct, develop and resist their own views, ideas and beliefs. We thus adopt a broader approach to participation in comparison to other political-psychological approaches, such as personality approaches (e.g. Mondak and Halperin, 2008) and cognitive approaches or, more recently, neuropsychological approaches (Hatemi and McDermott, 2012). We move away from a focus on the individual's political behaviour and its antecedents and outline an approach that focuses on the interaction between psychological and political phenomena (Deutsch and Kinnvall, 2002) through examining the politics of social knowledge

Qualitative questionnaire for the identification of cognems (Qualiquic): an exploratory technique to identify social representation contents and relations

While the investigation of social representation contents through the analysis of word associations is convenient, it does not directly inform about the nature of relationships that representation elements maintain with the social object. This paper presents a qualitative technique, Qualiquic, that is easy and simple to administer. Qualiquic has the advantage of gathering representation contents characterized by their relationships with the representation object, based on a simplified list of descriptive, practical, and evaluative connectors of the basic cognitive schemes model. The underlying theoretical principles are explained, and empirical guidelines are provided, as well as an empirical example of use