The Externalization-Internalization Deadlock in Social Representation Theory and Experimental Social Psychology: A Comment on Jaan Valsiner (2003)

Abstract

Many European social psychologists consider theoretical fragmentation and reductionism to be serious problems in experimental social psychology: too many unrelated theories based on laboratory outcomes for explaining too many phenomena and behaviors. In a sense, Social Representation Theory might be considered as one of the new approaches to social behavior set up to overcome both reductionism and explanatory fragmentation in social psychology. After describing what could be the core of the dilemma causing theoretical fragmentation in experimental social psychology, I argue that Social Representation Theory also suffers from an analogous problem, i.e., a fragmented universe of social representations. Subsequently, the static and dynamic facets of Social Representations are considered in relation to their respective heuristic limits. Next, I attempt to stress some difficulties due to extending the macrogenetic or cultural level of Social Representations to the micro genetic or psychological level. Finally, I outline two possible solutions for conciliating Social Representation Theory with experimental social psychology.