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This book provides a concise introduction to the theoretical and methodological issues around the social representation of health and illness across the lifespan. Moving from the traditional conception of health and illness as clinical entities to a more wide-ranging definition, it considers the value of social representation theory in offering innovative insights into the popular understanding of health and illness, and the interplay between individual experiences and broader socio-cultural contexts.
Through a combination of historical analysis and contemporary studies, the book sheds new light on how people understand and engage with health-related practices. It begins by considering the origins of social representation theory. It then proceeds to consider the influence of socio-economic factors, gender roles, and cultural processes on social representations of health and illness, and delves into questions such as: How do children, adults, and older people's understandings of health and illness change over time? What role do social class and gender play in shaping these understandings? How do young people negotiate their health identities in the face of societal expectations and personal experiences? It concludes by considering processes of change in social representations. Integrating perspectives from health psychology, social psychology, and social representation theory and research, this short volume offers valuable insights for academics interested in the intersections of health, identity, and society, as well as practitioners working in health promotion and education.
List of contents
Introduction.- Part I History, theory and methods.- Origins of social representation theory.- Development of social representation theory.- Part II Health and illness.- Health and illness among young people.- Health and illness among adults.- Infectious diseases, cancer and mental illness.- Health and illness among older people.- Part III Social representations and change.- Stability and change.
About the author
Michael Murray is Emeritus Professor of Social and Health Psychology at Keele University, UK. He has published widely on critical and qualitative approaches in health psychology.
Summary
This book provides a concise introduction to the theoretical and methodological issues around the social representation of health and illness across the lifespan. Moving from the traditional conception of health and illness as clinical entities to a more wide-ranging definition, it considers the value of social representation theory in offering innovative insights into the popular understanding of health and illness, and the interplay between individual experiences and broader socio-cultural contexts.
Through a combination of historical analysis and contemporary studies, the book sheds new light on how people understand and engage with health-related practices. It begins by considering the origins of social representation theory. It then proceeds to consider the influence of socio-economic factors, gender roles, and cultural processes on social representations of health and illness, and delves into questions such as: How do children, adults, and older people's understandings of health and illness change over time? What role do social class and gender play in shaping these understandings? How do young people negotiate their health identities in the face of societal expectations and personal experiences? It concludes by considering processes of change in social representations. Integrating perspectives from health psychology, social psychology, and social representation theory and research, this short volume offers valuable insights for academics interested in the intersections of health, identity, and society, as well as practitioners working in health promotion and education.
