Sylvain Delouvée1, Gail Moloney2, Kathleen McColl3, Grégory Lo Monaco4. 1. Department of Psychology, Université Rennes 2, LP3C-EA 1285, 35000 Rennes, France. 2. School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Military Rd, East Lismore, NSW 1235, Australia. 3. School of Public Health-École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, 35000 Rennes, France. 4. Department of Social Psychology, Aix Marseille Université, ADEF-EA 4671, 13013 Marseille, France.
Abstract
(1) Background: Studying social representations as lay theories allows for a better understanding of the common sense knowledge constructed around mosquito-borne diseases and the impact this may have on attitudes and behaviors. (2) Methods: A hierarchical evocation questionnaire was circulated through an Australian academic community and analyzed by prototypical analysis and correspondence factor analysis. (3) Results: Representational areas are regulated by participant age and whether or not they had contracted a mosquito-borne disease. (4) Conclusions: Collecting and understanding social representations has the potential to help social actors implement strategies that encourage people to access information and adopt behaviors in line with the scientific reality of the phenomenon, rather than limiting lay theories.
(1) Background: Studying social representations as lay theories allows for a better understanding of the common sense knowledge constructed around mosquito-borne diseases and the impact this may have on attitudes and behaviors. (2) Methods: A hierarchical evocation questionnaire was circulated through an Australian academic community and analyzed by prototypical analysis and correspondence factor analysis. (3) Results: Representational areas are regulated by participant age and whether or not they had contracted a mosquito-borne disease. (4) Conclusions: Collecting and understanding social representations has the potential to help social actors implement strategies that encourage people to access information and adopt behaviors in line with the scientific reality of the phenomenon, rather than limiting lay theories.
Entities:
Keywords:
emerging infectious diseases; health-protective behaviors; mosquito-borne diseases; social representations
Authors: Varvara A Mouchtouri; Dimitrios Papagiannis; Antonios Katsioulis; Georgios Rachiotis; Konstantinos Dafopoulos; Christos Hadjichristodoulou Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2017-03-31 Impact factor: 3.390