A society is characterized by being made up of a large number of people or individual subjects, with their own characteristics and idiosyncratic ways of thinking. However, there are a series of common norms or thoughts within a society that create a network of beliefs, statements and universal social norms.
One of the proposals that attempts to explain this phenomenon is the theory of social representations In this article we will try to review what this theory consists of, as well as the main characteristics of these representations, their elements and their functions.
Throughout the history of psychology, there have been several authors who have tried to develop the concept of social representation, however This theory finds its greatest representative in the social psychologist Serge Moscovici
In 1961, Moscovici published his doctoral thesis in which for the first time he mentioned the concept of social representation. Although the definition of this term has evolved over the years, its essence remains intact.
According to this social psychology theorist, social representations are cognitive systems with their own logic and statement. Within these social representations we find stereotypes, beliefs, statements or values that help people orient themselves and dominate their social environment.
The social representations provide a common communication code with which to name and classify in a group way the different aspects of the world in which we live. Likewise, these systems of codes, principles and classificatory judgments shape and guide the way in which people act in society, since they establish the norms and limits that are within the collective consciousness.
That is, the theory of social representations establishes that there is a form of social or collective thought through which individuals obtain a certain common perception of reality and furthermore, they act in relation to it.
Finally, these social representations can change across different groups of people or cultures, so studying each of the social representations of a community allows us to know what that society is like, as well as the way in which it is regulated and compared. other.
Characteristics of social representations
With the aim of facilitating the understanding and delimitation of the concept of social representation, the various theorists who study it have prepared a list of the characteristics that define it and differentiate it from other phenomena of social thought.
1. It refers to a specific aspect
A social representation always refers to a specific aspect that cannot be physically materialized. That is, the social representations They are capable of converting a perception or an abstract aspect into a concrete concept that appears in the minds of all people.
An example could be stereotypes, which based on a perception establish a sentence or resolution universally.
2. They are simplifying
The transformation of specific aspects into universal mental images allows the simplification of these, making them much more accessible and understandable for society
From the moment of the appearance of a social representation, it is in constant construction and evolution. This elaboration work is both personal and group in nature, which means that individuals are not passive subjects that absorb social representations, but rather manufacture and transform them, adapting them to the present moment.
4. They have a social character
As its name indicates, social representations are social because they are created and shared by a group of people. with the purpose of categorizing a phenomenon or social event explain its characteristics and incorporate it into reality.
5. They start from common sense
Social representations form a kind of natural, non-institutionalized thinking which finds its basis in common sense. From the communication between people and the media, a new element or image is integrated into collective thought and discourse.
6. They are cognitive-affective structures
This phenomenon has an affective aspect. Social representations are cognitive-affective structures that interpret, explain, choose, connect and interrelate all the data that comes from the environment.
7. They have a practical function
Finally, social representations have a practical purpose that allows use them as a guide for orientation and behavior that enables the person to interact satisfactorily with the society that surrounds them.
Elements that make them up
Social psychological theorists establish the existence of three main elements found within social representations. These elements are: the information or content, the object and the subject.
1. Information or content
For a social representation to be formed, it needs content. This content is made up of all that information, knowledge and knowledge that exists around an object or social phenomenon
Within this content we can find three different dimensions:
2. Object
Obviously, said information must be related by necessity to a social object, phenomenon or event, which constitutes the central element of the representation.
3. Subject/s
Finally, the social representations They need a subject or group of subjects to assimilate and transmit them The individual(s) are the active agents who perceive social phenomena, elaborate the contents of the representation and share them with other people.
