Social representations and social cognition: Contributions to nursing and health research

Abstract

Objective: analyze the potential of the Theoretical Paradigm of Social Representations and Social Cognition in nursing and health research. Method: reflection based on authors who serve as references in the elaboration, complementation and dissemination of this paradigm, with an important trajectory in social psychology and health sciences. Results: departing from the particularity of the epistemological object of nursing, which is care, Social Representations could be considered as autochtonous elements of the lay/secular and daily cognitions, which support the social construction of reality and the organization of care practices. Conclusion: in the light of these records, it is highlighted that the heuristic value of the Social Respresentations and of Social Cognition has been maintained since its proposal in the 1960‘s. Consequently, the three models that irrefutably result from the development of the field study about the social representations in health have permitted significant approximation by some studies in nursing and related areas.