Introduction
Artistic taste, as a system of practical preferences, not only reflects individual aesthetic attitudes but also serves as a symbolic tool in creating social distinctions and reproducing class boundaries. This phenomenon, according to sociologists like Pierre Bourdieu, is the result of a complex interaction between the social field, habitus, and the various forms of capital that individuals possess. From Bourdieu's perspective, taste is a set of distinguishing preferences used to express a symbolic space of knowledge, attitudes, and feelings. The study of artistic taste among youth, particularly students, is of heightened importance as this group stands at the intersection of traditional (family) and modern (higher education institutions and global cultural flows) structures, providing a dynamic arena for examining the processes of cultural taste formation and change. A review of previous empirical studies in Iran indicates that factors such as class background and the composition of various forms of capital (economic, social, and cultural) significantly influence the formation of individuals' artistic taste. Specifically, the level of cultural capital has a direct correlation with the inclination towards elite (legitimate) or popular art. However, most of these studies have focused on macro levels or large urban samples and have less addressed this dynamism in urban contexts with historical-artistic backgrounds outside the main centers of cultural power. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to sociologically explain the social and cultural factors related to the artistic taste of students at Kashan University. The primary research questions are: What is the state of artistic taste among these students? And what are the most significant sociological factors related to it?
The theoretical framework of the research is based on Pierre Bourdieu's theory of capital, Manuel Castells' network society theory, James Potter's media literacy theory, and Anthony Giddens' structuration theory. Accordingly, the research hypotheses propose a direct relationship between artistic taste and variables such as economic capital, social capital, cultural capital, internet usage and virtual networks, media literacy, and university support policies.
Materials and Methods
The empirical method of this research is survey-based. The statistical population consists of undergraduate and graduate students at Kashan University (5,150 individuals). Using SPSS Sample Power software and considering the correlation parameter, the sample size was estimated to be 326 individuals. Non-probability sampling was conducted using a quota method (based on gender and educational level). The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity was assessed through face validity (by consulting professors and researchers in the field of sociology of culture and art), and reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and composite reliability in a preliminary study involving 40 questionnaires. The results indicated that all variables had acceptable reliability (the Cronbach's alpha value for all constructs was above 0.70). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation tests, and structural equation modeling (SEM).
Discussion and Result
Descriptive findings showed that the averages for the variables "social capital," "media literacy," and "artistic taste" were above the median (at a moderately high level). However, the averages for the variables "economic capital," "cultural capital," "internet usage and virtual networks," and "university support policies" were below the median (at a moderately low level). The results of hypothesis testing also indicate that there is a direct relationship between the variables "economic capital," "social capital," "cultural capital," "internet usage and virtual networks," "media literacy," and "university support policies (in financial, structural, and programmatic dimensions)" with "artistic taste" at a 95% confidence level. Additionally, the evaluation of the structural equation model shows that the variables "cultural capital" (0.357), "media literacy" (0.254), and "university support policies" (0.202) have the most significant effect on the variable "artistic taste." Furthermore, the effect size of the variable "cultural capital" (0.072) is moderate, while the other variables have a low effect size, with the model's predictive capability estimated to be at a moderate level (0.117).
Conclusion
The findings of this research generally support the integrated theoretical framework of the study, particularly emphasizing the irreplaceable role of "cultural capital"—in accordance with Bourdieu's theory—in shaping artistic taste. This result indicates that internalized cultural knowledge, skills, and preferences provide students with a greater ability to interpret and evaluate artistic works than mere material assets or communication networks. In the present era, "media literacy" has also emerged as a vital skill that complements cultural capital. In an environment saturated with digital artistic messages, the ability to critique, analyze, and decode these messages is a determining factor in refining artistic taste. Furthermore, the role of "university structure" as an empowering factor— as Giddens suggests— is confirmed in fostering artistic taste through "supportive policies." Institutional support in the form of providing spaces, budgets, event planning, and creating incentives can offer the necessary objective conditions for students' artistic experiences and growth. Although social capital and the use of virtual spaces showed a significant correlation with artistic taste in the initial analysis, the lack of a significant direct effect in the structural model reinforces the hypothesis that the impact of these variables is primarily indirect, realized through mediating factors such as increased cultural capital and enhanced media literacy. For instance, social networks influence artistic taste when they facilitate the transfer of cultural knowledge and skills.
Ultimately, considering the moderately low levels of perceived cultural capital and supportive policies among the studied sample, the results of this research emphasize the necessity for conscious and targeted planning in academic environments. It is suggested that universities contribute to the cultivation of cultural capital and enhancement of students' artistic taste—an essential component in shaping creative and enlightened citizens—by incorporating courses related to art and media literacy into various academic programs, strengthening artistic student organizations and associations, and providing more material and moral incentives.