Habitual Reflexivity and Skilled Action
Open accessAbstract
Theorists have used the concept of habitus to explain how skilled agents are capable of responding in an infinite number of ways to the infinite number of possible situations that they encounter in their field of practice. According to some perspectives, habitus is seen to represent a form of regulated improvisation that functions below the threshold of consciousness. However, Bourdieu argued that rational and conscious computation may be required in situations of ‘crisis’ where habitus proves insufficient as a basis for our actions. In the current article, I draw on a range of evidence which indicates that conscious intervention (including self-reflective sensory consciousness) is required not only at points of crisis but also as skilled performers engage in the mundane actions/practices that characterize their everyday training and performance regimes. The interaction of conscious learning and unconscious schemata leads to the development of a reflexive habitus which allows performers to refine and adapt embodied movement patterns over time.
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Toner catalogues the ways in which elite athletes consciously reflect on their bodily performances in times of crisis and intervals between performance.
“Taking the example of elite athletes, Toner (2017), for example, catalogues the ways in which athletes consciously reflect on their bodily performances in times of crisis (e.g.injuries) and intervals between performance (see also Shusterman 2012).”
From Carnal Hermeneutics and the Digital Game (2018) · cites this paper as Toner 2017
Merleau-Ponty has been criticised for making too sharp a distinction between conscious meaning-making and bodily understanding.
“Merleau-Ponty has been criticised for making too sharp a distinction between conscious meaning-making and bodily understanding (what I am terming”
From Carnal Hermeneutics and the Digital Game (2018) · cites this paper as Toner 2017
Body memories are not located exclusively in the body; they involve 'habitual reflexivity'-traffic between non-conscious enactment and deliberate, conscious reflection and adaptation.
“Body memories are not, then, located exclusively in the body.Rather they involve”
From Carnal Hermeneutics and the Digital Game (2018) · cites this paper as Toner 2017
Toner demonstrates that in moments of crisis the body sometimes fails to understand (in the Merleau-Pontian sense), and this failure often motivates conscious reflection on the failed action.
“However, Toner demonstrates that in moments of crisis the body sometimes fails to understand (in the Merleau-Pontian sense), and this failure often motivates conscious reflection on the failed action.”
From Carnal Hermeneutics and the Digital Game (2018) · cites this paper as Toner 2017
Drawing on Toner's critique of Merleau-Ponty, these memories are not only recalled in the body, but can also become available for conscious reflection, especially though not exclusively in times of 'crisis' when the re-enactment of the body memory fails to 'understand' the present situation.
“However, I draw on Toner's (2017) critique of Merleau-Ponty to claim that these memories are not only recalled in the body, but can also become available for conscious reflection, especially though not exclusively in times of”
From Carnal Hermeneutics and the Digital Game (2018) · cites this paper as Toner 2017
Cites
Ericsson, K. A. (2006) · The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511816796.038 · Cited by 1,629 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Highly skilled performers engage in practice activities which require their ‘full attention and concentration’ (Ericsson, 2006: 700).”
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Carnal Hermeneutics and the Digital Game
Martin, P. (2018) · Journal of the Philosophy of Games · doi:10.5617/jpg.2934 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
- Authors
- Toner, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Hull (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Toner, John
- ORCID
- Toner, John
- Venue
- Body & Society
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2017-10-19
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 3-26
- ISSN
- 1357-034X (ISSN-L)
- 1460-3632
- OpenAlex
- W2767128713
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 4.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Locations
- Body & Society (publishedVersion)
- Repository@Hull (Worktribe) (University of Hull) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- Repository@Hull (Worktribe) (University of Hull) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › General Arts and Humanities › Corporeality, Perception, and Education
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Sports and Physical Education Research
- Keywords
- habitus, reflexivity, skilled action, conscious learning, embodied movement, crisis, Pierre Bourdieu, improvisation
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