The Role of the Iconic-Imaginary Dimensions in the Modelling Approach to Social Representations
Mots-clés :
social representations, modelling approach, iconic-symbolic dimensionRésumé
The article focuses on the relationship between different dimensions of social representations,
such as verbal and iconic-symbolic dimensions, looking at the functions that images could play
not only for shaping social representations, but also for investigating them. The way the images
connect groups and shape representations in the collective imaginary is a key question, which
needs to be addressed both on the theoretical and methodological level. Driven by this goal, we
will briefly present our paradigm defined “modelling approach”, based on the
integration/differentiation of multi-theoretical constructs and multi-methodological research
designs, as functions of specific hypotheses also concerning the interaction among the nature
of the technique, the choice of the data analysis strategies, and the expected results. We will
also refer to a series of innovative graphical techniques, inspired by a theory of the method,
that integrates qualitative and quantitative, structured and projective, textual and figurative
techniques and multi-step data analyses.