Abstract

SAUTKINA, Elena et al. Social distinction and uncivil behaviours in places of business open to the public . Psicologia [online]. 2007, vol.21, n.2, pp.139-157. ISSN 0874-2049.

This article represents a theoretical analysis based on an exploratory study conducted in three French enterprises: SNCF (French national Railway), La Poste (Postal Service) and Galeries Lafayette (a Parisian department store). The aim of this article is to produce a psychosocial scope on the phenomenon of uncivil behaviour understood here as a consequence of a break of social links between employees and clients. A definition of incivility in terms of interactions between different social groups is proposed here. Then, incivility is analysed as a behaviour of social distinction. We attempt to demonstrate, finally, how the differentiation of spaces of each enterprise is related to uncivil behaviours.

Keywords : uncivil behaviour; inter­group relations; social distinction; spatial differentiation.

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