Social Representations of Normality in a Group of Mental Health Professionals in the City of Medellín: Prototypical and Categorial Analysis

Abstract

This study explores the social representations –SR- of “Normality” built by professionals who are working within the field of mental health –MH- in the city of Medellín, Colombia. Participants were 117 professionals who are working in disciplines within the field of mental health –MH-. The data were generated through the associative technique of words freely evoked, and then were analyzed from a prototypical and categorical perspective, the former with the support of EVOC 2003 program, and the latter, guided by the methodological principles of grounded theory. These words are organized in the category “Conceptions of normality” and in the codes “Sociocultural concept” and “imperturbability”. Both form a relation which semantically enriches the SR of “Normality”. The concept of “Normality” is a product of social representation -SR- since it is composed by the scientific knowledge and the common sense, which could have implications in the practice of mental health professionals.