Representations of the professional identity of educators in an italian regional context

This paper is part of a larger research intended to question whether there are confl icts and discrepancies in different representations of the professional identity of educators (ideal, real, “noticed”), and to describe the fi gurative nuclei that form such social representations, or what elements are central, more stable and resistant to change, according to the structural approach (ABRIC, 1994, 1998). The starting point of this study is a research conducted by Lodolo D’Oria et al. (2002), who consider the confl ict and discrepancy in the representation of the professional Self of Italian educators (divided into ideal and real, professionals and employees) the main source of negative emotions, of suffering and gloom. On the other hand, the harmony between the two Self typologies (ideal and real) and the balance between social and personal identities provide well-being (D’ORIA; POCATERRA; POZZI, 2003).