Article Version of Record

The naturalized nation: Anchoring, objectification and naturalized social representations of history

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Hakoköngäs, Eemeli
Sakki, Inari

Abstract / Description

This study focuses on the connection between social representations of history and collective memory from the perspective of elementary concepts of social representations theory: anchoring, objectification and naturalization. The aims of the study are to arrive at a conceptual clarity of this connection and demonstrate how to apply basic concepts of social representations theory to the study of collective memory. The study also focuses on the naturalized characteristics of Finnish history. The data consist of the covers of twenty Finnish history books between the years 1965 and 2014. All the covers are embellished with typography or visual images. The covers were analysed using a semiotic approach in which the interest is in the description (denotation), the associations (connotation) and the meaning system these construe (myth). The analysis shows how national history is concretized with visual images (objectification), how the meaning of representation is conveyed (anchoring) and how collective memory is maintained (naturalization), transmitted and shaped during the years. The results show how the stable collective memories and changing social representations of history are interacting. The most frequently used visual element was the colour blue, which alludes to the Finnish flag, a symbol of the nation that represents the core of Finnish history. The study suggests that it is possible to conceptualize collective memories as naturalized social representations of history. It shows how processes of anchoring and objectification serve as tools of collective memory and how the naturalized conceptions are subtly changed. In addition, the study develops the use of visual semiotic analysis in social representations research.

Keyword(s)

social representations collective memory anchoring objectification naturalization visual analysis

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2016-12-19

Journal title

Journal of Social and Political Psychology

Volume

4

Issue

2

Page numbers

646–669

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Hakoköngäs, E., & Sakki, I. (2016). The naturalized nation: Anchoring, objectification and naturalized social representations of history. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 4(2), 646–669. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v4i2.664
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Hakoköngäs, Eemeli
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Sakki, Inari
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-26T12:44:42Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-26T12:44:42Z
  • Date of first publication
    2016-12-19
  • Abstract / Description
    This study focuses on the connection between social representations of history and collective memory from the perspective of elementary concepts of social representations theory: anchoring, objectification and naturalization. The aims of the study are to arrive at a conceptual clarity of this connection and demonstrate how to apply basic concepts of social representations theory to the study of collective memory. The study also focuses on the naturalized characteristics of Finnish history. The data consist of the covers of twenty Finnish history books between the years 1965 and 2014. All the covers are embellished with typography or visual images. The covers were analysed using a semiotic approach in which the interest is in the description (denotation), the associations (connotation) and the meaning system these construe (myth). The analysis shows how national history is concretized with visual images (objectification), how the meaning of representation is conveyed (anchoring) and how collective memory is maintained (naturalization), transmitted and shaped during the years. The results show how the stable collective memories and changing social representations of history are interacting. The most frequently used visual element was the colour blue, which alludes to the Finnish flag, a symbol of the nation that represents the core of Finnish history. The study suggests that it is possible to conceptualize collective memories as naturalized social representations of history. It shows how processes of anchoring and objectification serve as tools of collective memory and how the naturalized conceptions are subtly changed. In addition, the study develops the use of visual semiotic analysis in social representations research.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Hakoköngäs, E., & Sakki, I. (2016). The naturalized nation: Anchoring, objectification and naturalized social representations of history. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 4(2), 646–669. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v4i2.664
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-3325
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1423
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1698
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v4i2.664
  • Keyword(s)
    social representations
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    collective memory
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    anchoring
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    objectification
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    naturalization
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    visual analysis
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    The naturalized nation: Anchoring, objectification and naturalized social representations of history
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Journal of Social and Political Psychology
  • Page numbers
    646–669
  • Volume
    4
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record