Social representations as a diagnostic tool for identifying cultural and other group differences

The aim of this research is to develop a procedure for data collection within a social representations perspective that may be of use in diverse contexts in which investigators wish to understand and compare the norms and values associated with a particular social object in different social or cultural groups. The social representation of sport is studied in two culturally distinct countries, Morocco and France, with the use of an innovative procedure derived from the Model of Basic Cognitive Schemes (Rouquette, 1990,1994b). The results reveal a difference in the appropriation of values related to sport in the two countries: the social representation of sport for the Moroccans is focused around hard work related to sport (the education, discipline, and training necessary to achieve competitive performance), whereas for the French, importance is also given to the recreational aspects of sport (sport for pleasure, as a leisure activity and as a way to relax). (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.