Social representation of violence in young Ecuadorians

Abstract

Studies of violence in Ecuador have been characterized by theorization and measurement of criminal frequency, without taking into account subjective dimensions. The present study aimed to explore the social representation that young Ecuadorians have of violence. Thus, an open questionnaire was administered to understand the content and meaning of violence. A sample of 298 university students from Ambato city, with a mean age of 21.28 years (SD = 1.61) participated in this study. The results show that the participants perceive a climate of insecurity, defined by common crime (muggings and robbery) and failures in the structure of the governmental system (police). Consequently, a collective climate defined by fear and uncertainty exists.