Abstract

This article describes the concept of dignity as a social representation in ordinary citizens. Based on the predominant theoretical references on dignity and under the design of a descriptive case study with a quantitative approach, with 123 adult participants from the city of Bogotá, DC, it was found that the majority of respondents believe that human beings are dignified in themselves and need to give themselves to others; people with religious beliefs perceive dignity in a way that can be related to inherited moral principles, passions, and emotions. Social perceptions of dignity tend to show the linkage of ontological dignity to the world of affectivity, emphasizing that feelings are an essential dimension, as important as intelligence and will.