Abstract

SANTOS, Maria de Fátima de Souza; ALMEIDA, Angela Maria de Oliveira; MOTA, Vivian Lemos  and  MEDEIROS, Izabella. Social representation of violence in adolescents and their preventive practices. Temas psicol. [online]. 2010, vol.18, n.1, pp.191-203. ISSN 1413-389X.

This paper analyzes social representations of violence among adolescents of different social segments and the preventive practices they utilize. An interview was conducted with 109 adolescents of both genders, who were High School: 53 students had middle to upper income, and attended private schools, and 56 attended public schools. The interviews were analyzed using the software ALCESTE, resulting in four categories of words related to the meaning given by the adolescents to violence and their prevention strategies. No significant differences were found between the two groups of adolescents regarding their notion of violence. Perceived as crime occuring in public spaces, youngsters suggested strategies for coping with violence, such as keeping a distance from groups, as well as avoiding locations and times allegedly threatening.

Keywords : Social Representation; Violence; Adolescents; Preventive Practices.

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