We observed social representations of childhood among parents/grand-parents and educators, according to ethnicity and social class. We asked them what it is a child from birth up to six years old "in general", what do they like/dislike in this child and how they could change her/him. We organized the answers in themes about individual, basic relations, interpersonal relations, power relations, moral values. Themes on individual, interpersonal relations and moral values were more associated to the question in general, while basic relations and power relations to like/dislike. Regarding dislike and how to change a child, we found regularities in power relations among Whites, Mixed and Black people from the middle class, while among Jews were on individual and interpersonal relations. Lower class Whites stressed basic relations, while Mixed and Black interpersonal relations. We discussed the dynamic of relations between assertive minority and majority groups with more socio-cultural traits recognition.
childhood; social representations; social psychology; cultural psychology
