How the trust based on personal experience builds social representations

of neighbours among Czech and Austrian adolescents living near the

Czech – Austrian border

TYRLIK, Mojmir & KOURILOVA, Sylva

Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University Brno

History

1526 – 1918 Habsburg Monarchy1948 – 1989 iron curtain

Social representations

Relatively stable core – dynamic periphery

stereotypes experience

General aspects - variability and dynamics of immense situations

Situations

Sample

Cz 136 students ZnojmoA 124 students Horn, Retz

Method

number, sort and purpose of visits in the other state

free statement, one or more situations when they had met citizens of the other nationality (at home or abroad)

Results

Type of situations: Accidental contact Formal contact Personal contact

Accidental contact

the status of people and their accompanying behaviour is not officially defined e.g. asking for a way or asking for help when

two strangers meet in the street, shops, mean of transport without addressing each other

In these situations the respondent has only few possibilities to derive his judgement from his own experience.

Formal contact

the mutual relationship and behaviour of the participants is set by their role. E.g. relationship between a shop assistant and a

customer, school exchange of students without any suspicion of more personal relationship.

the social stereotypes are used determined by a specific role which may be

different in different societies. One or the other side doesn’t always react in an apparently standard situation in an expected way

Personal contacts

friendship or at least a closer relationship e.g. Friends, members of the host family

The respondents define the difference of the other nation members, they do so not on the base of in-group or out-group stereotypes but on the base of their own experience with the behaviour of their foreign friends.

Cz A

Accidental contact 54 8Formal contact 38 13Personal contact 32 42

Evaluation

situational general

Cz Accidental yes+/- yes+/-

Cz Formal yes+/- yes+/-

Cz Personal yes+ yes+

A Accidental yes+/-

A Formal yes+/-

A Personal yes+ yes+

Core of SR judgement

Generalization of extreme caseWorse in abroad than at homeLanguage

Generalization of extreme case The Austrian family was in a role of a customer.

Then a problem appeared. I tried to explain it to them but their reaction took me by surprise, because they started to swear at me and blame me for incurred losses

Worse in abroad than at home “What the Austrians dare to do in the Czech

Republic would never dare to in Austria. E.g. two elder Austrians were shopping in a supermarket. They were choosing marmalade according to its taste. The opened jars were given back in the rack. They also export garbage here.

Language „The Austrians behave very aggressively in the

Czech Republic. Sometimes I have the feeling that they think it belongs to them here. If you go to Austria, nobody would speak to you, as long as you do not speak German. They are unwilling to help you unless you use German language, but when they come here, they expect all the comfort and somebody who knows their language and is ready to help them...“

Periphery SR judgement

Split the group Only country bumpkins go to Kaufland (shoping

centre in Znojmo). They are rude, ill-mannered and inconsiderate. When I go to Austria, I like their tidy roads, order in the streets and their behaviour is also OK

Conlusions

The experience, which is based on practical interactions with well known foreigners and friends, results in more favourable view of neighbours. The accountability following on the experience that the foreigners have almost the same traits, qualities and queries as they have, let the people pass away long-standing prejudices and set forward the more stable core of social representations.

The respondents differentiate foreigners according to certain social and demographic categories. While respondents judge a member of one category by social representation, a member of second category is judged by respondent’s experience with some members of the group. This enables them to cope with different people in various situations in for them consistent way.