This present research aims to analyze the comparison between the "street boys" and social science university students' representations about the street boys. The multi-method, qualitative and quantitative, was used for data collection and analysis. The free association test was applied in 178 subjects divided in two groups ("street boys" and university students), distinguished by sex and age. The collected data was processed by the soft Tri-Deux Mots, and the factorial analysis of the groups correlation was done over a total of 2.535 words. The methodology also includes semi-structured interviews with subjects from both groups. The results reveal a substantial opposition between the "street boys" and the university students' representation in regard to the content and structure. Regarding to the representation structure, it is graphically revealed that both groups put themselves away from the "street boys". From the content perspective, the university students have presented a political and psychosocial representation about the "street boys". The "street boys" interviewed have presented a significant and different concept between the identity they have built about themselves and the "street boys" representation, whose reference is the criminal and marginal actions. The results have supported the differentiation need thesis, that points out as closer you are from the minority, as necessary it is to be different from that, not to be considered its member. Thus, the "street boys" describe themselves throught strong violence and criminal nuances, which are part of their daily routines, whether due to government negligence to the social politics increasing or to the slight limit between life and death for those who live on the streets and try to deal with the risk, as a tightrope walker sliding on the razor's edge of his everyday life.
social representations; social identity; street boys; social exclusion; college students
