Infancia y representaciones sociales

Abstract

A review and analysis of constituents of mainly shared social representations of childhood in western society are presented —essaying to contribute to a better understanding of the constructing processes of present childhood. In order to understand the historical development of childhood social policies the need of in-depth analysing three linked representational slopes is defended. They are (a) social representations of childhood, (b) social representations of children’s needs and children’s problems, and (c) social representations on how to appropriately cope with such needs and problems. The need of a psychosocial change in order to avoid old social representations of childhood —which resist changing and are generating communicational gaps between generations— is posed.