Social Partitions Theory and RepMut methodology

This seminar aims to present social partitions’ theory and its methodology, called RepMut (for Mutual Representations). This methodology is a social relationships’ analysis which aspires to diagnose inter-categorial relations. It consists in questioning two different groups’ members about the way they perceive their relation, from extracting their own representation about their group and the other, but also concerning what we call a “transitional object”, under which the relation is underlaid. In order to develop this methodology, we drew our inspiration from works on social representations, which have been reviewed taking in account social psychology of language research, particularly by including the co-construction paradigm.
This methodology has been developed in the SPMS (SocioPsychology and Sports Management Laboratory, UB, Dijon) and refers to Social Partitions’ Theory (Castel & Lacassagne, 2005). Social Partitions’ Theory follows Social Identity Theory (Tajfel, 1969) and Self-Categorization Theory (Turner, 1987), in which people seek for the most satisfying identity. Social comparison triggers competition for this suitable identity, and identity strategies are implemented in order to obtain it. That’s precisely what Social Partitions’ Theory highlights. First, few theoretical points will be approached, which will be followed by the presentation of the methodology itself and its developments. Then, an empirical study about representations of “cars of the future” will be presented. More precisely, a diagnosis of mutual positionings of eco-drivers and traditional drivers will be investigated, and a summary of this “cars of the future” respective visions will be submitted. Finally, perspectives can be coconstructed and developed with the audience, considering the “urban gardening” questions.