Social representation of COVID-19, attitudes and knowledge in the adult Portuguese population

• Autores: Alexandra Gomes, Joana Vieira dos Santos
• Localización: International Journal of Social Psychology, Revista de Psicología Social, ISSN-e 1579-3680, ISSN 0213-4748, Vol. 36, Nº 3, 2021, págs. 544-580
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.1080/02134748.2021.1940706
• Títulos paralelos:
  • La representación social, las actitudes y los conocimientos de la población adulta portuguesa sobre la COVID-19
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    El objetivo de este estudio era medir la representación social de la COVID-19 y caracterizar las actitudes y los conocimientos de los participantes sobre el virus SARS-CoV-2. Bajo un enfoque exploratorio, se reclutó una muestra de 297 adultos portugueses. Para medir la representación social de la COVID-19 se diseñó una tarea de evocación libre de palabras. Para medir las actitudes se utilizó un cuestionario de 20 ítems correspondientes a dimensiones cognitivas, afectivas y conductuales, mientras que para medir los conocimientos, se utilizó una prueba de tipo verdadero/falso basada en la información general publicada por la Dirección General de Salud de Portugal (DGS). Los resultados sugieren que, en general, los participantes no se sienten vulnerables frente a la infección o a la enfermedad, ni siquiera se muestran preocupados por ello. Por lo que respecta a la representación social de la enfermedad, los resultados sugieren dos grupos distintos de población: un grupo que muestra una actitud más favourable o positiva hacia la COVID-19, mientras que el otro muestra una actitud menos favourable o más negativa. El estudio plantea algunas cuestiones que deberían ser abordadas por futuras investigaciones

  • English

    The goal of the present study was to measure COVID-19 social representation and to characterize attitudes and knowledge about the virus SARS-CoV-2. With an exploratory nature, it used a non-probabilistic sample of 297 Portuguese adults. To measure COVID-19 social representation, we used a free evocation task; attitudes were assessed by 20-item questionnaires divided into cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions; knowledge was assessed by a true or false test based upon general information made available by DGS [Portuguese health general directorate]. Results suggest participants have little belief that they could be infected, have the disease or even be preoccupied about it. Concerning social representation, results suggest the existence of two different groups of participants, one with a more favourable attitude towards COVID-19 and another with a less favourable attitude. The study raises questions to be developed in future research.

• Referencias bibliográficas
  • Abric, J. C. (1993). Central system, peripheral system: Their functions and roles in the dynamics of social representations. Papers on Social...
  • Abric, J. C. (1996). Specific processes of social representations. Papers on Social Representations, 5, 77–80. http://psr.iscte-iul.pt/index.php/PSR/article/view/211/176
  • Ajzen, I. (1989). Attitude structure and behavior. In A. Pratkanis, S. J. Breckler, & A. G. Greenwald (Eds.), Attitude structure and function...
  • Al-Hanawi, M. K., Angawi, K., Alshareef, N., Qattan, A. M., Helmy, H. Z., Abudawood, Y., Alqurashi, M., Kattan, W. M., Kadasah, N. A., Chirwa,...
  • Alves, R. F., Samorinha, C., & Precioso, J. (2021). Knowledge, attitudes and preventive behaviors toward COVID-19: A study among higher...
  • Ascuntar, J. M., Gaviria, M. B., Uribe, L., & Ochoa, J. (2010). Fear, infection and compassion: Social representations of tuberculosis...
  • Bú, E. A., Alexandre, M. E. S. D., Bezerra, V. A. D. S., SÁ-Serafim, R. C. D. N., & Coutinho, M. D. P. D. L. (2020). Representations and...
  • Camargo, B. V., & Bousfield, A. B. S. (2009). Social representations, risk behaviors and AIDS. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 12(2),...
  • Camargo, B. V., Bousfield, A. B. S., & Wachelke, J. (2011). Social representations and applied sciences: The case of HIV prevention. Temas...
  • Chesser, A., Drassen Ham, A., & Keene Woods, N. (2020). Assessment of COVID-19 knowledge among university students: Implications for future...
  • Cinelli, M., Quattrociocchi, W., Galeazzi, A., Valensise, C. M., Brugnoli, E., Schmidt, A. L., Zola, P., Zollo, F., & Scala, A. (2020)....
  • Colì, E., Norcia, M., & Bruzzone, A. (2020). What do Italians think about coronavirus? An exploratory study on social representations....
  • De Rosa, A. S., & Mannarini, T. (2020). The “invisible other”: social representations of COVID-19 pandemic in media and institutional...
  • Eagly, A. H., & Chaiken, S. (1993). The psychology of attitudes. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers.
  • Eicher, V., & Bangerter, A. (2015). Social representations of infectious diseases. In G. Sammut, E. Andreouli, & G. Gaskell (Eds.),...
  • Fasanelli, R., Piscitelli, A., & Galli, I. (2020). Social representations of COVID-19 in the framework of risk psychology. Papers on Social...
  • Gomes, A., & Nunes, C. (2015). Representação social do sexo nos jovens adultos portugueses. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 28(1), 177–185....
  • Gupta, L., Agarwal, V., Davalbhakta, S., Agarwal, V., & Misra, D. (2020). A survey-based study on the knowledge, attitude, and the practices...
  • Idoiaga, N., Berasategi, N., Eiguren, A., & Picaza, M. (2020). Exploring children’s social and emotional representations of the COVID-19...
  • Idoiaga, N., Gil de Montes, L., & Valencia, J. (2017). Understanding an Ebola outbreak: Social representations of emerging infectious...
  • Jaspal, R., & Nerlich, B. (2020). Social representations, identity threat, and coping amid COVID-19. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research,...
  • Jodelet, D. (1989). Folies et representation sociales (Elect. ed., 2007). Les Presses Universitaires de France.
  • Joffe, H. (2003). Risk: From perception to social representation. British Journal of Social Psychology, 42(1), 55–73. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466603763276126
  • Joffe, H., & Haarhoff, G. (2002). Representations of far-flung illnesses: The case of Ebola in Britain. Social Science & Medicine,...
  • Khader, Y., Al Nsour, M., Al-Batayneh, O. B., Saadeh, R., Bashier, H., Alfaqih, M., & Al-Azzam, S. (2020). Dentists’ awareness, perception,...
  • Kok, G., Peters, G. J. Y., Kessels, L. T., Ten Hoor, G. A., & Ruiter, R. A. (2018). Ignoring theory and misinterpreting evidence: The...
  • Lee, J. J., Kang, K. A., Wang, M. P., Zhao, S. Z., Wong, J. Y. H., O’Connor, S., Yang, S. C., & Shin, S. (2020). Associations between...
  • Lench, H., & Levine, L. (2005). Effects of fear on risk and control judgments and memory: Implications for health promotion messages....
  • Maheshwari, S., Gupta, P. K., Sinha, R., & Rawat, P. (2020). Knowledge, attitude, and practice towards coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)...
  • Marková, I. (2017). The making of the theory of social representations. Cadernos de Pesquisa, 47(163), 358–375. https://doi.org/10.1590/198053143760
  • Mayor, E., Eicher, V., Bangerter, A., Gilles, I., Clémence, A., & Green, E. G. (2012). Dynamic social representations of the 2009 H1N1...
  • Moliner, P., & Tafani, E. (1997). Attitudes and social representations: A theoretical and experimental approach. International Journal...
  • Moscovici, S. (1976). La psychanalyse, son image et son public (2nd ed.). Presses universitaires de France.
  • Olapegba, P. O., Ayandele, O., Kolawole, S. O., Oguntayo, R., Gandi, J. C., Dangiwa, A. L., Ottu, I., & Iorfa, S. K. (2020). A preliminary...
  • Páez, D., & Pérez, J. (2020). Social representations of COVID-19. International Journal of Psychology, 35(3), 600–610. https://doi.org/10.1080/02134748.2020.1783852
  • Pérez, J. A. (2004). Las representaciones sociales. In D. Páez, I. Fernández, S. Ubillos, & E. Zubieta (Eds.), Psicología social, cultura...
  • Rodrigues, F. R. A., Monteiro, P. V., & Pereira, M. L. D. (2014). Social representations of AIDS: An analysis using the technique of free...
  • Ruiter, R. A., Abraham, C., & Kok, G. (2001). Scary warnings and rational precautions: A review of the psychology of fear appeals. Psychology...
  • Sabucedo, J. M., Alzate, M., & Hur, D. (2020). COVID 19 and the metaphor of war. International Journal of Social Psychology, 35(3), 618–624....
  • Shi, Y., Wang, J., Yang, Y., Wang, Z., Wang, G., Hashimoto, K., Zhang, K., & Liu, H. (2020). Knowledge and attitudes of medical staff...
  • Vala, J., & Castro, P. (2017). Pensamento social e representações sociais. In J. Vala & M. B. Monteiro (Eds.), Psicologia social (pp....
  • Vergès, P. (1992). L’evocation de l’argent: Une méthode pour la définition du noyau central d’une représentation. Bulletin de Psychologie,...
  • Vergès, P., Tyszka, T., & Vergès, P. (1994). Noyau central, saillance et propriétés structurales. Papers on Social Representations, 3,...
  • Wachelke, J., & Wolter, R. (2011). Critérios de construção e relato da análise prototípica para representações sociais. Psicologia: Teoria...
  • Wachelke, J. F. R. (2009). Social representations centrality index from evocations (INCEV): An example of application on the study of the...
  • Washer, P. (2004). Representations of SARS in the British newspapers. Social Science & Medicine, 59(12), 2561–2571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2004.03.038