Please join us this Friday for a presentation by our own Harper Haynes, a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology. Her talk will take place from 3-4:15 p.m. Friday, October 31, 2014 in W113 Seashore Hall (SSH). Title: The Impact of Student Habitus on Graduation at Selective Universities: An Exploration in Formalizing a Multidimensional Construct Bourdieu’s theory of social reproduction has been used extensively by sociologists of education. Scholars have paid particular attention to his concept of cultural capital and its impact on educational outcomes. However, more recently, researchers have begun to expand the use of Bourdieu’s original theory by incorporating the notion of habitus into empirical and theoretical works. Consequently, there has been enormous theoretical confusion and variation regarding the underlying relations between habitus, cultural capital, and field. This paper provides conceptual clarity by conducting a thorough research synthesis of 36 relevant theoretical and empirical works on habitus in education. Next, by drawing on Bourdieu’s original articulation and results from the research synthesis, I propose a formalization of habitus that removes it from the level of an abstract theoretical construct into a workable model with operational concepts of dispositional, social (relational) and reflexive dimensions. I test this model empirically using the National Longitudinal Survey of Freshmen (NLSF). I first assess the measurement structure by performing a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. I then use this multidimensional conceptualization of habitus in a general structural equation model to test the predictive validity of this formalization of habitus. My empirical results show that habitus plays a significant role in predicting the likelihood of graduating within six years of entering a selective or elite university in the U.S. These results clarify the attempt to quantify habitus and presents opportunities for future research. Harper Haynes received a master’s degree from The University of Iowa in August 2014 and a B.A. from University of Kentucky in May of 2012. As an undergraduate I applied current sociological research on domestic and interpersonal violence to a non-profit organization within my community in order to improve and expand their initiative. Witnessing the real-life applicability of sociological research fueled my interests in other areas, especially educational institutions. My focus on the sociological study of educational institutions has extended into my work here at the University of Iowa. My master’s thesis, “The Impact of Student Habitus on Graduation at Selective Universities: An Exploration in Formalizing a Multidimensional Construct” examines the ways in which social positionality of students at selective universities impact their graduation outcomes, while also constructing a formalization of Bourdieu’s theoretical construct of “habitus”.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 23:29:21 +0000
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