BONOMO, Mariana et al. The eternal foreigners: contact, affective field and social representations of gypsies among non gypsies in the metropolitan region of Vitória/ES. Pesqui. prát. psicossociais []. 2017, 12, 3, pp.1-19. ISSN 1809-8908.

This study investigated the construction of the social object 'gypsies' among non-gypsies in the metropolitan region of Vitória/ES, based on the affective dimension and the levels of contact towards the gypsy group. Fifty-six (56) individuals aged between 18 and 45 participated in the study. They presented both positive and negative feelings towards gypsies. The data were gathered through questionnaires, and then treated using the software EVOC and Categorical Content Analysis approach. The results showed that the affective field is organized mainly based on the positive dimensions 'curiosity' and 'respect', and the negative ones 'insecurity' and 'suspicion'. Associated to this field of ambiguity, among the central elements of the representations of gypsies, we found meanings such as 'nomadism' and 'different culture', as well as negative stereotypes and terms that describe the figurative dimension of the social object. This study discusses the function of these representations in the maintenance of prejudice and social discrimination against this group.

: Gypsies; Affective dimension; Stereotypes; Social representation.

        · | |     · |     · ( pdf )