The Contextual Analysis in Social Representations of the Body Among Ethnic Groups in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

This work aimed at testing a method of contextual analysis to infer social representations of the body in ethnic groups. It was expected that some individuals/groups would tend to relinquish to autonomy, differentiation and delimitation of interindividual and intergroup boundaries, and share those social control patterns considered more generic/universal. Meanwhile, the (individual/group) self as a particularity would be asserted by others. Representations of one's own body were observed among students self-defined as Whites (n=112), and Afro-Brazilians (n = 44), in samples that were well balanced between both sexes and secondary and university levels. They were required to account for their body in simulated and freely chosen places, and in the contexts of dwelling, class-room, school contexts, as well as out of these contexts. Whites tended to mention emotion/feeling, comfort/ satisfaction and norms/deviances, while Blacks readiness/self-control, enjoying/desiring and individual assertiveness. Data were discussed drawing upon each group's history and culture.