According to Foucault, what does panoptic surveillance primarily target?

Foucault's concept of panoptic surveillance, derived from his analysis of Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon design, primarily targets the soul. This notion reflects a power structure that seeks to control individuals not just through physical means but by instilling a sense of self-regulation and internalized discipline. In this surveillance model, individuals are aware that they may be watched at any moment, which leads them to monitor their own behaviors, thoughts, and moral standings.

The panopticon fosters a kind of psychological control where the external gaze prompts individuals to govern their own actions in accordance with societal norms and expectations, shaping their very sense of self or "soul." The focus is on the internalization of power and the way individuals come to regulate their own behaviors because they feel they are constantly being observed, thus intertwining surveillance with moral and ethical self-policing.

In contrast, the other options, while they may relate to various aspects of control or governance, do not capture the full depth of Foucault's argument regarding panoptic surveillance. The body might be subject to physical control, the environment can be monitored or manipulated, and the mind might be influenced, but the soul represents the core aspect of identity and self-regulation that Foucault highlighted