Social insertions and representations of oneself and young people: Apprentices and high school students

What does the category or the term “young people” evoke for teenagers who identify themselves in terms of their social group memberships? On the basis of two studies we were able to demonstrate that whereas for apprentices (positioned between school and the world of work) youth is defined in terms of various activities — one is young by virtue of what one is doing, for those pursuing studies in senior high school (the “lycéens”), one is young by virtue of how one thinks. In addition, while apprentices tend to value the group, high school students value the individual above all else.