Cultural Capital - Test of Bourdieu's Ideas

Question 1

What did Sullivan do?

Answer 1

• Sullivan used questionnaires to conduct a survey of 465 pupils in four schools

Question 2

How did Sullivan assess the pupils cultural capital?

Answer 2

• she asked them about reading and TV viewing habits, if they visited museums, art galleries and theatres
• she tested their vocabulary and knowledge of cultural figures

Question 3

What did Sullivan find?

Answer 3

• those who read complex fiction and watched serious TV documentaries developed a wider vocabulary and greater cultural knowledge indicating greater cultural capital
• pupils with greatest cultural capital were children of graduates and these pupils would be more likely to be successful at GCSE

Question 4

What did Sullivan conclude since middle class children still did better despite other pupils having the same level of cultural capital?

Answer 4

the greater the resources and aspirations of the middle class families explain the remained of the class gap in achievement