Aims

An introduction to the communications effects on social relations and socially elaborated
representations.

Main themes

The course focuses on a pragmatic analysis of communications processes (as distinct from
Syntactic and semantic analyses). This pragmatic approach studies the effect of communication on
behaviour and the sign value that the have. After identifying the 'content' and 'relationship' levels of these processes, the course will focus on the latter, the issue being tackled using a range of psycho sociologica1 theories. The aim is to introduce students to this pragmatic perspective, and given them a conceptual framework that will enable them to establish further psycho sociological methodological development.

Content and teaching methods

Content
The course will gradually introduce students to the issue of social representations
(understood as knowledge developed within social interactions and contributing to the construction of realities that are common to a social whole).
After identifying the notion of representation, and its relationship with thought and its field of application, the course will examine the main approaches it has unearthed (e.g. Moscovici's objectivation/anchorage model, the structural model (central kernel/peripheral elements) of experimental psychology, and the bi dimensional model). Prejudgements, forms of discrimination and stereotypes are also addressed, and the course then focuses specifically on the influence of social representations on interactions.
Methodology
The course will include lectures and case studies.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Course notes.

Other credits in programs