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THEORETICAL PAPER / ARTÍCULO TEÓRICO

Social representations of COVID-19 (Representaciones sociales del COVID-19)

ORCID Icon &
Pages 600-610 | Received 03 Apr 2020, Accepted 07 Apr 2020, Published online: 18 Aug 2020
 

ABSTRACT

This is a reflection on the communication modalities of dissemination, propagation and propaganda as they have manifested in the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes the anchoring of the representations of COVID-19 in past diseases, other nationalities, anti-hygienic practices and groups deviating from the ethos of individualistic self-control. It examines the objectification of the representation of COVID-19 in heroes (healthcare workers), elite villains (pharmaceutical company owners, ineffective governments), common villains (careless people, mindless masses) and victims (the elderly, the poor). It provides explanations and hypotheses on the sociopolitical correlate, the dynamic of common-sense beliefs and their relationship with social behaviour.

RESUMEN

Se reflexiona sobre las modalidades de comunicación de difusión, propagación y propaganda tal como estas se manifiestan en la pandemia del COVID-19. Se describe en el caso del COVID-19 el anclaje de las representaciones en enfermedades del pasado, en grupos de otras nacionalidades, prácticas antihigiénicas y en grupos desviantes del ethos de autocontrol individualista. Se examina la objetivación de la representación del COVID-19 en héroes (sanitarios), villanos de elite (empresarios farmacéuticos, gobiernos ineficaces), villanos populares (persona descuidada, masas descerebradas) y víctimas (ancianos, pobres). Se plantean explicaciones e hipótesis sobre los correlatos sociopolíticos, la dinámica de las creencias de sentido común y su relación con la conducta social.

Disclosure statement / Conflicto de intereses

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. / Los autores no han referido ningún potencial conflicto de interés en relación con este artículo.

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