The meanings of social construction: the constructionist invitation to Psychology

Abstract

The social constructionist movement has been in prominence in the international psychological literature in the last decade and it is now rising in Brazil. The objective of this text is to describe the multiple meanings of the constructionist invitation through the histories of its origin, its contributions and the main tensions and debates produced. Considering a set of critics to scientific practice, constructionist's proposals emphasize the historical and cultural specificities of our ways of knowing the world, the primacy of human relationships in the production and maintenance of knowledge, the link betweeen knowledge and activity and the valorization of a reflexive and critical stance. These proposals invite a culturally sensitive scientific practice that promotes the enhancement of our relational vocabularies.