Lockdown: The construction of a new social representation among students and employees

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic was a brutal experience that had a lasting impact on people's daily lives. Objective: The construction of the social representation of this event was monitored over one year in two sampling phases (March 2020 and March 2021). Method: The evolution of social representation was carried out using the hierarchical verbal association method and a characterisation questionnaire. Results: The results obtained highlighted, on one hand, the emergence of a figurative core, which is transformed into a central core by the repetition and pressure of the lockdown episodes. On the other hand, the variability of the social representation of confinement according to social status, employees structure the social representation around isolation whereas students are focused on loneliness. Conclusion: The effects of lockdown are reflected in the social representation of confinement, showing an impact on mental health, particularly on students. © 2022 Société Française de Psychologie