Dissociation, reflexivity and habitus

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Many theorists, in their search for a better explanation of the dynamics of structure and agency, have expressed the need for a theory in which reflexivity and habitus are reconciled. In this paper we argue that a dissociative theory of mind can provide the essential framework in which habitual routines and reflexivity function in parallel. This is explored using the examples of athletic training and hypnosis, where the interplay between conscious and unconscious mechanisms is displayed. In both settings, there is evidence to show that conscious reflexiveness and intersubjective and unconscious automatic processes are necessary to reach the desired outcome. We conclude that a dissociative theory of mind can shed new light on the relationship between habitus and reflexivity.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)556-573
JournalEuropean Journal of Social Theory
Volume19
Issue number4
Early online date13 May 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2016

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