Use of Social Representation to Validate the Structural Equations Modelling

Abstract

This article proposes the use of social representation theory to validate the structural model of structural equation modeling and better understand the research object. For this purpose, action research was used to construct, implement, and confirm the practical feasibility of adopting the methodological procedures described in this article, based on their practical application in an analysis case. We concluded that it was possible to validate the structural model used in structural equation modeling, using the proposed methodological procedures, applied to a case involving the governance system construct. This opens up the possibility of its future use in other research, which use structural equation modeling to validate a theoretical model and the causal relationships between its constructs. As such, we reduce the risk of using this statistical method to validate a theoretical model whose causal relationships do not represent a reality supported by practice, going beyond theoretical validation.