Social representations: a revolutionary paradigm?

Abstract

Against the prevailing view that progress in science is characterised by the progressive accumulation of knowledge, Thomas Kuhn's (1962) Structure of scientific revolutions introduced the idea of revolutionary paradigm shifts. For Kuhn, everyday science is normal science in which scientists are engaged in problem solving set in the context of a widely accepted paradigm that comprises a broad theoretical framework, an agreement on researchable phenomena and on the appropriate methodology. But, on occasions normal science throws up vexing issues and anomalous results. In response, some scientists carry on regardless, while others begin to lose confidence in the paradigm and to look to other options -rival paradigms. As more and more scientists switch allegiance to the rival paradigm, the revolution gathers pace, supported by the indoctrination of students through lectures, academic papers, and textbooks. In response to critics, including Lakatos who suggested that Kuhn's depiction reduced scientific progress to mob psychology, Kuhn himself offered a set of criteria that contributed to the apparent 'gestalt switch' from the old to the new paradigm. But that is another story, as indeed is Kuhn's claim that the social sciences are pre-paradigmatic, i.e. that the only consensus is that there is no consensus.Yet, consider this paragraph from a leading theorist of social psychology, Michael Billig (1991, pp.57-58):

Representaciones escolares del clima en el paisaje fluvial del río Clariano

“…El comportamiento deriva de esa percepción, que realmente recoge aspectos subjetivos que son compartidos por grupos sociales. Por ello la teoría de las representaciones sociales permite abordar la didáctica del espacio geográfico desde la subjetividad, ya que el comportamiento que se proyecta en un escenario concreto es resultado de esa cosmovisión general (Sammut et al 2015). Con esta base retomamos la adaptación que Souto (2018) realiza de la trialéctica espacial de Soja (2008) a la comprensión del espacio subjetivo.…”

“Al-Khabith”—The malignant cunning disease: Sociocultural complexity and social representations of cancer in the occupied Palestinian territory

“…The epistemology of SRs theory differed from that of mainstream American psychology, which was (and remains) criticized for its linear and simplistic way of interpreting human thinking and behavior. Moreover, in mainstream psychology cognition and behavior were located outside the complexity of the macro sociocultural context, and therefore the influence of this wider context on meaning-making processes and interpretation of social reality were downplayed or overlooked (Sammut, Andreouli, Gaskell, & Valsiner, 2015). In comparison with Durkheim's notion of collective representations in traditional societies, Moscovici understood SR to be more flexible and dynamic in the production of knowledge.…”

Pensar la ciudad global desde sus representaciones escolares: un estudio de caso entre Valencia (España) y Bogotá (Colombia)

“…La influencia que ejerce el medio cultural en la percepción social del espacio refuerza la vinculación entre la teoría de las representaciones sociales y la Geografía de la Percepción y del Comportamiento bajo el enfoque del constructivismo. De hecho, el constructivismo social permite conocer el comportamiento humano a partir de las representaciones sociales, ya que el estímulo que provoca el objeto de una representación social (en este caso el espacio urbano) justifica una determinada respuesta de acuerdo a una representación social que describe ese objeto de manera inteligible para cada persona, lo que genera una actividad que se acaba proyectando en el espacio (Sammut, Andreouli, Gaskell y Valsiner, 2015). Estas evidencias deben considerarse desde un ámbito grupal para fomentar estrategias de enseñanza conjuntas en los centros educativos acerca de temáticas concretas, como en este caso defendemos para el aprendizaje de la ciudad global.…”