Sättumus

Sättumus is a term used in some Nordic-language scholarly writings to describe the embodied and internalized patterns of behavior that guide individuals in everyday life. The word combines the Swedish sätt, meaning "manner, method, habit," with a suffix that approximates a noun forming an abstract concept. The term is not widely standardized in major dictionaries and is not common outside specific theoretical discussions.

Definition and scope: Sättumus denotes a set of ingrained dispositions, learned through socialization, that predispose people to act and think in familiar ways within a given social field. It includes habitual practices, norms, and practical know-how that remain relatively stable across time but can shift with changes in context or social status.

Relation to other concepts: It is related to, but distinct from, habitus (as formulated in Bourdieuan theory), which emphasizes the social conditions producing dispositions, and from customs or traditions, which may be more explicit and collective rather than internalized. Sättumus tends to highlight the internalization and routine aspect of behavior.

Applications and methods: Used in sociological and anthropological analyses to explain how behavior persists beyond conscious choice. Research methods include ethnography, discourse analysis, and interviews to uncover patterns of practice and the implicit rules governing them.

Critiques: The term can be vague and overlapping with existing concepts; cross-cultural variations complicate cross-national comparisons. Operationalizing sättumus in empirical research poses challenges.

See also: habitus, custom, tradition, routine.