Social Representations as Cognitive-Emotional Processes: Examining Individual Tensions

We tested key predictions of a recent theoretical model positing social representations (SRs) as cognitive-emotional processes.The model aimsto examine the impact of emotions on the dynamics of SRs. The present researchinvestigatesthe first two phases of the model from the central core theory (CCT). The study of the impact of emotional experience on the dynamics of SRs could be a way to provide some support to theoriginal assumption in Social Representations Theory (SRT) that SRs are dynamic objects of social change. This attempt seems crucial as SRs are essential to the construction of social knowledge. One hundred and thirty management students had to recall highly positive and negative emotions immediately after participating in a three-day teamwork situation. Having previously identified students' (gendered) SRs of teamwork, the study examines individual tensions following emotional experience,that is,the cognitive impact of the nature (positive or negative)of emotion on the internal dynamics of the SR object. Highlighting the fundamental role of the meaning-generative function of SRs, the results showed variationsofSR componentsof teamwork depending on the valence of emotion, the status of SR components, and gender as a sociocultural variable. We interpret gender differences on the variations ofSR componentsof teamwork following emotional experience as reflecting social positioning vis-& agrave;-vis the meaning of this object as a shared cultural reality. Our findings are discussed considering the support they offer to the model, how the nature of emotions can produce contrasting SRs dynamics and suggested theoretical implications about the place that should be given to emotions in SRT.