Social Representation and Emotions in the Context of Dance Observation

Abstract

Emotions are recognized as key components of social representation. However, their roles and the ways in which emotions are entangled in social representation processes are still insufficiently understood. This study employs a visual arts-based approach to deepen our understanding of this entanglement. Specifically, this study explores how emotions are interwoven with social representations, as 31 participants observed and reflected on two digital dance videos centred around the theme of a desired future. To shed light on the role and complexity of emotions within social representations, this study combines inductive content analysis with theoretically informed interpretations of participants’ responses. These interpretations draw on social representation in action and the neuroscience related to dance observation. Theoretically, this study advances our understanding of how emotions are intertwined with social representation. Methodologically, visual arts-based elicitation methods are highlighted as potential tools for exploring the emotional dimensions of social representation. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the importance of the medium through which social representations are conveyed, arguing that the medium plays a crucial role in shaping both the process and the content of those representations.