The Social Representation of Coronavirus during the First French Lockdown

Abstract

Introduction: More than two years ago, the world was hit by the health crisis of COVID-19. This crisis has had many impacts, some of which are not yet fully visible. Publications have increased in this field, but some subjects remain to be studied in depth, such as the question of territorial or social inequalities in the face of this health crisis and its illustration in the field of social thinking. Methods: This qualitative research is based on the hierarchical free association method used in Social Representations Theory (SRT). The survey was conducted on a French sample during the first lockdown between March and May, 2020. Different groups and social categories were questioned, including rural/urban, executives, employees, or unemployed people. The results showed a social representation of the coronavirus that differs in certain groups, with, for example, a greater perception of risk in the unemployed group. Results: These results confirm that the consequences of this health crisis since the first lockdown in March, 2020, had already impacted representations that reflected social and territorial inequalities. Conclusion: These results are discussed in the light of international experience and, in particular, that of Brazil, one of the countries most affected by the health crisis.