Pierre Bourdieu's Habitus
Pierre Bourdieu's Habitus is a concept that builds upon the ideas proposed by Marcel Mauss, while also adding new elements. It emphasizes the importance of accumulated past experiences and the significance of unconscious practices. In contrast to previous sociological perspectives that interpreted human behavior as first envisioning a goal and then employing means to achieve it, Bourdieu points out the following: 1. Subjective factors, such as goals, should not be given priority simply because they are subjective.
2. Goals and means do not naturally emerge; rather, they are products of accumulated past experiences.
3. Goals and means are influenced by the same factor, which is capital.
For instance, let's consider the act of striving to excel in a university entrance exam in order to secure a place in a prestigious university and obtain a good job. Bourdieu highlights that this pursuit is rooted in a vague sense of one's potential and social position.