“Sporting Habitus”: Goals, Dilemmas, and Practical Pathways of College Physical Education

Abstract

Drawing on Bourdieu’s “field–habitus” theory, this article analyzes the physical‑education field and the formation of sporting habitus among college students. It points out that the three fields of family, school, and society exert profound influences on students’ sports-related cognition, habits, and values, jointly shaping their sporting habitus, which in turn reacts upon these fields. The goals of college physical education are clarified as cultivating correct sports values, fostering healthy exercise habits, and nurturing a positive sporting spirit to support students’ holistic development. However, current physical education faces problems such as marginalization, weakening, utilitarianism, superficiality, disciplinization, and symbolization. Accordingly, the article proposes practical pathways including integrating multiple fields to build a collaborative education ecosystem, rooting sports in students’ lifeworlds to stimulate self‑motivated participation, and deepening sports experiences to achieve spiritual elevation. These approaches aim to break through the limitations of single fields and promote a shift in physical education from “physical training” to “whole‑person cultivation,” thereby laying a foundation for developing high‑quality talent.