Serial reproduction as a method for studying social representations

Abstract

The contribution concerns the relevance of certain aspects of the work of Bartlett (1932) for social representations (SR) research. Three main points will be argued: a theoretical, a methodological, and an empirical one. Theoretically, the contention is that the work of Bartlett, especially what he calls conventionalisation, is eminently relevant for SR theory, and that this relevance has been insufficiently appreciated as of yet. It is shown is that conventionalisation is identical to what can be understood as the process of social representation. The methodological point is that the method of serial reproduction, which is the methodological counterpart of conventionalisation, can be adapted for use in the framework of SR research. Examples from a study in which this method was applied to the study of the SR of conception are presented. The empirical contention is that existing research on the SR of conception has neglected to address the fundamental importance of personification. This is illustrated by research results. Finally, some theoretical implications of the use of the method of serial reproduction in SR research are briefly discussed.