Elements Of Social Representations Research Articles

How do care service managers and workers perceive care robot adoption in elderly care facilities?

Amid growing social interest and investment in the implementation of robots throughout the elderly care system, the benefits and challenges faced by care facility personnel have also gathered attention. This study investigates the social representations of care robots held by two groups – care service managers and care workers – who play critical roles in organizational adoption within care facilities. The social representation model assumed in this paper is particularly well-suited to help understand the perceptions and attitudes of different stakeholders toward care robots. We conducted 25 face-to-face interviews with 12 care service managers and 13 care workers in Korean care facilities, and identified 18 topics as elements of social representation. Core-periphery analysis revealed an apparent contrast between the two groups in their fundamental elements and structures: namely, the dominant social representation of care service managers was negative; that of care workers was positive. The difference in roles and responsibilities between the two groups yielded contrasting perceptions and attitudes toward care robots. The potential implications for the government and the industry are presented alongside an interpretation of the results.

Social Representation of “Hearing Loss” Among People with Hearing Loss: An Exploratory Cross-Cultural Study

Hearing loss can have an effect on the physical, psychosocial, and cognitive wellbeing of an individual. Despite the research on attitudes and stigma associated with hearing loss, people with hearing loss (PHL) continue to delay seeking help. Thus, it is vital to look at alternative theories which have been successfully used in disability research to better understand how PHL perceive hearing loss. The aim of the current exploratory study was to examine the social representation (SR) of "hearing loss" in PHL in India, Republic of Korea (ROK), United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). The study used a cross-sectional survey design. In this study, 424 participants were recruited using a consecutive sampling method in four countries (India, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, and United States). Data collection was conducted using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using content analysis, similarities analysis, prototypical analysis, and chi-square analysis. The free associations of the PHL were grouped into 37 categories. The most commonly reported categories were communication difficulties, negative mental state, aging, assessment and management, causes of hearing loss, hearing ability or disability, hearing instruments, and symptoms of hearing loss. Similarities analysis and prototypical analysis highlighted two main negative categories (negative mental state and communication difficulties) which form the central elements of SR of hearing loss. PHL associated hearing loss mainly as a negative phenomenon, but with some positive and neutral aspects. Respondents from ROK reported a greater number of neutral associations compared with other countries. There were cross-cultural similarities and differences in terms of PHL's SR of hearing loss, but there were more similarities than differences. The study provides an insight into how PHL collectively view their "hearing loss" and helps to develop our understanding of the influence of culture on the SR of "hearing loss." The results will aid the development of culturally appropriate public education campaigns, marketing material, and appropriate rehabilitation for PHL.

Social representations of transsexual women living with HIV/AIDS.

identify the social representations of transsexual women living with HIV/AIDS. this is a qualitative descriptive exploratory study, based on the theory of social representations, conducted with six HIV/AIDS seropositive transsexual women from a hospital for patients with HIV/AIDS. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were conducted and later transcribed and analyzed with the help of Iramuteq (version 0.7) to produce a dendrogram of the descending hierarchical classification. data were grouped into three classes: social thought and health/disease process; subjectivity and identity coping; and social determination and the context of vulnerability. the elements of social representations were identified, based on commonsense knowledge, resulting from the way of thinking and acting and associated with the syndrome and social actors and sectors of the daily life of transsexual women. This study highlights the relevance of representational processes for humanized health care.

La adolescencia en contexto: Representaciones Sociales en adolescentes de Medellín y Armenia, Colombia

Objetivo: Comprender las representaciones sociales de adolescencia en adultos y adolescentes de las ciudades de Medellín y Armenia.
 Método: Investigación cualitativa desde el enfoque procesual de la teoría de las representaciones sociales. La investigación se llevó a cabo en dos momentos: uno exploratorio y otro de profundización. Se realizó una evocación libre de palabras para identificar el núcleo central y los sistemas periféricos de la representación; a partir de esto, se realizaron grupos focales y entrevistas semiestructuradas que permitieron ampliar el horizonte de significado de la representación e identificar los procesos de objetivación y anclaje. En la investigación participaron 298 adolescentes habitantes de Medellín y Armenia.
 Resultados: El núcleo central para Armenia está constituido por la palabra “etapa”, mientras que, en Medellín, se encuentra la “responsabilidad”. Aunque en lo nuclear la representación en ambas ciudades comparte múltiples elementos, hay una diferencia fundamental respecto a la perspectiva de futuro, pues mientras para los adolescentes de Medellín es posible proyectar la vida en la adultez, para los adolescentes de Armenia prima el tiempo presente y no hay una delimitación del fin de la adolescencia.
 Conclusiones: La representación social de la adolescencia se ordena en torno a la idea de transición acompañada por diversos cambios; en este proceso, la reconfiguración de la relación con la familia y los amigos resulta fundamental. La experiencia de la adolescencia no es universal, pues el estrato socioeconómico, el nivel económico de la ciudad en que se vive y las posibilidades de desarrollo que ofrece, da un carácter diferencial al modo en que es significada y vivida.

Imaginário de presidiárias sobre o fenômeno das drogas

O envolvimento com drogas constitui principal causa de aprisionamento de mulheres e tem relação com questões de gênero. Pesquisa qualitativa, com o objetivo de conhecer o imaginário de presidiárias sobre drogas. Foram investigadas 26 presidiárias, para as quais foi aplicada a técnica projetiva de desenho-estória com tema, cuja análise foi fundamentada na Teoria das Representações Sociais. Elementos das representações sociais evidenciados nos grafismos e conteúdo das estórias, permeados de realismos, denotaram sofrimento psíquico e agressividade, objetivadas e ancoradas nas dimensões afetiva, comportamental e psicossocial das participantes. O aprisionamento evidencia rebaixamento da estima, retraimento e isolamento sinalizados como motivos para o envolvimento das mulheres com substâncias psicoativas na tentativa de reconhecimento social e superação de carências afetivas. Conclui-se que o imaginário das participantes acerca das drogas elucida subjetividades do protagonismo feminino em meio a um fenômeno transversal na sociedade, sendo pertinente seu conhecimento para as práticas em saúde da mulher.

Exploring social representations of adapting to climate change using topic modeling and Bayesian networks

When something unfamiliar emerges or when something familiar does something unexpected people need to make sense of what is emerging or going on in order to act. Social representations theory suggests how individuals and society make sense of the unfamiliar and hence how the resultant social representations (SRs) cognitively, emotionally, and actively orient people and enable communication. SRs are social constructions that emerge through individual and collective engagement with media and with everyday conversations among people. Recent developments in text analysis techniques, and in particular topic modeling, provide a potentially powerful analytical method to examine the structure and content of SRs using large samples of narrative or text. In this paper I describe the methods and results of applying topic modeling to 660 micronarratives collected from Australian academics/researchers, government employees, and members of the public in 2010-2011. The narrative fragments focused on adaptation to climate change (CC) and hence provide an example of Australian society making sense of an emerging and conflict ridden phenomena. The results of the topic modeling reflect elements of SRs of adaptation to CC that are consistent with findings in the literature as well as being reasonably robust predictors of classes of action in response to CC. Bayesian Network (BN) modeling was used to identify relationships among the topics (SR elements) and in particular to identify relationships among topics, sentiment, and action. Finally the resulting model and topic modeling results are used to highlight differences in the salience of SR elements among social groups. The approach of linking topic modeling and BN modeling offers a new and encouraging approach to analysis for ongoing research on SRs.

Old age and elderly people: social representations of adolescent students

to know the main elements of social representations about elderly people and old age among adolescents at a public high school. 172 adolescents between 14 and 19 years of age participated. The free evocation of words technique was applied through the terms elderly and old age. The main elements of the representations significantly designed for elderly people were: respect and disrespect, 78; experience, 49; care, 32; wisdom, 23; fragility, 19. For old age: disease, 51; retirement, 27; experience, 27; wisdom, 19; wrinkles, 17. The social representations of adolescents are strongly marked by physical, psychological and social aspects, with positive and negative aspects about old age. Participatory health education activities are needed to make adolescents critically reflect on and the condition of elderly people in contemporary society.

Parto normal e cesária: representações de mulheres que vivenciaram as duas experiências

The delivery phenomenon has existed since the arisal of humankind and it represents the process finalling through which species perpetuation is guaranteed. This study aims at knowing the elements of social representation concerning the delivery under the perspectives of women living both natural delivery and caesarian section. This is a descriptive qualitative field research using the Social Representations Theory as a theoretical methodological referential. Data was collected using open interviews in deep with second-time mothers cared in public maternity in Goiânia from July to august in 2006. The analysis was carried out through ALCESTE 4.5 software. Two thematic axes and five classes have emerged. What is considered as the fundamental elements representing childbirth is its framework divided into three stakes, the first one related to the negative part, the second one related to the positive part, and the third one being constituted of aspects related to its institutionalization. Childbirth is still seen as an expected experience, unique and relevant to women’s lives, in spite of pain manifestation, and the hospitalization pursued for safety purposes in the delivery process. Key words: Natural childbirth; Delivery obstetric; Psychology Social.

Elements of social representation of madness. (B.Sc. Thesis)

Elements of social representation of madness. (B.Sc. Thesis)

As tecnologias de reprodução assistida e as representações sociais de filho biológico

Foram investigadas as representações sociais de filho biológico em casais que se submeteram às tecnologias reprodutivas. Nossos objetivos foram analisar a trajetória de vida do casal a partir do momento em que foi constatada a infertilidade e identificar as representações sociais de filho biológico. Cinco casais da Grande Vitória, ES foram entrevistados e nenhum deles havia obtido êxito com relação à gravidez após o tratamento. As entrevistas semi-estruturadas foram realizadas individualmente. O roteiro seguiu o mesmo padrão para ambos os cônjuges, incluindo itens sobre a constatação da infertilidade, o tratamento realizado, o significado da maternidade, paternidade, casamento e filho biológico. A análise dos resultados apontou para um fortalecimento do vínculo no casamento após o diagnóstico de infertilidade e evidenciou a importância que os casais atribuem ao filho biológico. Os elementos de representações sociais que apareceram fortemente foram: "sangue do meu sangue", descendência, semelhança física e pressão social.

ENVIRONMENTAL BELIEF SYSTEMS: EMPIRICAL STRUCTURE AND A TYPOLOGY

Introduction A person (re)constructs his or her environmental mentality in a particular sociocultural context. This context is manifested in public discourses, cultural models and meaning complexes that all provide explicit and implicit suggestions (Valsiner 1998) for an individual. Environmental beliefs are subjective theories about the human-nature relationship that form a conceptual basis for more specific attitudes, beliefs and behaviors towards the environment. On the one hand, environmental beliefs are embedded in various cultural messages (which are heterogeneous and rapidly changing in our times). On the other hand, these beliefs are a component of or group level environmental mentality. Our analysis will proceed in the framework of social representations theory, which encompasses both of these aspects. The aim of the article is to analyze the organizing principles and empirical types of environmental beliefs in an Estonian subpopulation. Theory of social representations The theory of social representations (Moscovici 2000, Flick 1998) deals with belief systems that are tied to certain social identities. Social representations are forms of knowledge (operationalized as attitudes, beliefs and practices) that are produced and sustained by certain groups or populations. Social representations (SR) are differentiated from similar concepts like individual or shared diffuse ideas. The following aspects have been highlighted: 1) SR are related to a specific group identity (Wagner, 1995) and therefore define not only the object but are also used for social self-definition of a subject; 2) SR are a structured set of ideas, systemic organization of thought content (not a loose aggregate of ideas); 3) SR are dynamic, variable and negotiable, they are the product of interaction and communication (vs. static and unquestionable character of collective representations and cultural beliefs); 4) differently from attitudes, SR are exteriorized and institutionalized, and can be studied also in the media, cultural artifacts, etc. In relation to an individual, social representations function as social resources and limitations, mediating social regulation and enabling self-positioning in the social space. In relation to a group, social representations function as means of communication and tools for constructing social objects. A social representation has often a simple and vivid form (e.g. metaphorical) in order to be easily communicable and easy to think with. We can differentiate between two general approaches in analyzing a SR: A widespread approach deals with SR as explicit content of thought. This approach focuses on within-group similarities in the content or structure of beliefs, emphasizing concrete and consensual aspects of SR. In this framework SR are surface phenomena, easily accessible tools for meaning-making and prediction in social interactions. Within such systems of knowledge it is possible to differentiate central elements (primary ideas, core beliefs, axioms, etc.), which generate and organize all the other elements of social representations. These primary beliefs are organized as a synthesis of oppositions (Moscovici & Vignaux 1994:68) which are anchored in pairs of opposing and interdependent notions. An alternative approach deals with SR as implicit organizing principles (structuring structure). These abstract underlying principles (categories, dimensions, reference points) reflect the regulative influence of the social metasystem on cognitive functioning and they organize symbolic relations between social agents (Doise 1994). According to these principles individuals or groups identify and differentiate themselves, choosing their relative positions within the representational field. Doise et al (1993:4) note that: More than consensual beliefs SR are (--) organizing principles, varied in nature, which do not necessarily consist of beliefs, as they may result in different or even opposed positions taken by individuals in relation to common reference points. …