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Assessed movement competence through the lens of Bourdieu – a longitudinal study of a developed taste for sport, PE and physical activity

ABSTRACT Background The interest for young people’s movement ability has increased. Literature shows that many factors, apart from movement ability, influence the development of and sustained interest in or taste for physical activity and the learning thereof. Purpose This longitudinal study illustrates, through the lens of Bourdieu, whether and how assessed movement ability at the age of 15, together with cultural capital and sports habitus, is reflected in exercise habits and a taste for participation in sport and physical activity as a young adult. Data collection and analysis A multidisciplinary project called School-Sport-Health (Skola-idrott-hälsa) was established in 2001 in Sweden to investigate the physical and health status of children and youth, as well as attitudes to and participating in school physical education. Schools were randomly selected by the agency Statistics Sweden. In total, 1,975 pupils aged 9, 12 and 15 answered a life style questionnaire, and took part in at least one sub study of the baseline study in 2001. Movement ability was examined using the NyTid test. 560 pupils (283 girls, 277 boys) aged 15 (born in 1985, ±1) completed the test. In the follow-up study, lifestyle questionnaires, were answered nine years apart by the pupils who had participated in the NyTid test at the age of 15. The response rate was 61 per cent (341 young adults: 186 females, 155 males). Group and gender differences between those who had a high level of assessed movement ability (HLG) and those with a low level (LLG) were analysed. Data were analysed through Bourdieu’s analytical concepts habitus and capital. Findings The assumption that an acquired high level of movement ability plays a central role in being physically active later in life is both confirmed and challenged by the results. The HLG view themselves as more physically active and with a higher intensity (71 per cent) than the LLG (44 per cent). A low level of assessed movement ability at the age of 15 did not prevent young adults from acquiring a taste for sport and physical activity later in life. Habitus is a generative principle and can, according to the logic of practice, give action meaning, which may go against earlier habitus and trigger actions. Earlier described gender differences appear to be less evident in young adults. Conclusions Further research is needed to understand how pupils’ movement narratives are constructed to support young people’s taste for movement and development of movement competence.