An exhaustive analysis of publications about human preconceptions or initial ideas in regard to "bodies in movement" was carried out. Theoretical, methodological and conceptual aspects of a sample of 36 works on individuals of diverse levels of instruction and published in journals and books of different origins, were studied. Our findings revealed a great variety of goals as well as of postures assumed by the investigators with respect to preconceptions. Types of data sources as well as results and their interpretation showed also a great dispersion. From another point of view, the results of the present study suggest that although the subjects' conceptualization of force may be wrong, in their representations of mechanics phenomena therewould existed meanings of the word force associated with other physics' concepts such as momentum and energy. We conclude that it is the time for a new approach to the problem of preconceptions in both, theoretical and methodological fields.
investigations about Mechanics; preconceptions; physics concepts; teaching; learning; meanings