Use of Hypothetical Situations as a Methodological Resource in a Social Representations Study

Uso de Situações Hipotéticas como Recurso Metodológico em Estudo de Representações Sociais

Uso de Situaciones Hipotéticas como Recurso Metodológico en Estudio de las Representaciones Sociales

Abstract:

Gender-based violence is a multifaceted problem, recurrently addressed in different fields, and its approach is always challenging. The study aimed to characterize the use of hypothetical situation vignette as a methodological resource in the study of representations and social practices of gender and gender-based violence among professionals from Specialized Police Stations for Women’s Assistance (DEAMs). A total of 15 adults of different ages, genders, and roles, working at two DEAMs in different Brazilian states, who were presented with two hypothetical situations took part in the study. The data were submitted to IRaMuTeQ and analyzed in the light of the Social Representations Theory. Data suggested social representations of gender anchored in the traditional division of social roles and gender-based violence supported by ideas about gender oppression and legal norms. It is considered that the vignettes contributed to a broader understanding of these phenomena, capturing meanings, positions, and practices.

Keywords:
gender; gender-based violence; social representation; qualitative research