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Social Structure

Explore the concept of status and role in society, examining ascribed and achieved statuses, master status influence, role expectations, performance, conflict, and strain. Reflect on personal statuses and roles, identifying conflicts and strains experienced.

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Social Structure

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  1. Social Structure Chapter 4

  2. Two Major Components of Social Structure • Status- a socially defined position in a group or society • Role- the behavior; the rights and obligations expected of someone occupying a status.

  3. Status • Each individual in society occupies several statuses at the same time. • Ex. Teacher, wife, mother, white American • A way of defining where individuals fit into society and how they relate to others in society.

  4. Ascribed Status • Assigned according to qualities beyond a person’s control • Not based on an individual’s abilities, efforts or accomplishments. • Based on inherited traits or assigned automatically when a person reaches a certain age • Ex. Race, sex, family heritage

  5. Achieved Status • Acquired by individuals through their own direct efforts that include special knowledge, skills or abilities • Ex. Basketball player, college graduate, pianist.

  6. Master Status • Plays the greatest role in shaping a person’s life and determining his/her social identity. • Can be either achieved or ascribed. • Usually achieved in the U.S. • Changes over a lifetime. • Ex. studentdoctorgrandparent

  7. Journal #1 - Status • Divide your page into three columns with the following headings: Ascribed Achieved Master • Pick ONE of the individuals on the next slide and identify their ascribed, achieved, and master statuses.

  8. Roles • Bring statuses to life. You occupy a status BUT you play a role. • At school you might play roles associated with student or friend. • At home with son/daughter, sibling

  9. Reciprocal Roles • Corresponding roles that define the pattern of interaction between related statuses. • Ex. Teacher/student • Husband/wife • Doctor/patient • Role cannot be fulfilled without someone else playing the reciprocal part.

  10. Role Expectations • Socially determined behaviors of a person performing a role. • Teachers are expected to instruct and provide a learning environment for their students.

  11. Role Performance • Actual role behavior does not always meet role expectations. • Ex. A doctor may not give care. • Some parents mistreat their children • This happens when role behaviors seen as appropriate by some are inappropriate to society as a whole.

  12. Role Conflict/Role Strain • Role conflict occurs when the fulfilling roles of one status makes it difficult to fulfill the roles of another. • Ex. Good employee vs.. good parent • Role strain occurs when a person has difficulty meeting the role expectations of a single status. • Ex. bossmoralepay cuts

  13. Journal #2: Roles/Status • 1)  List (write up and down) as many statuses as you can for yourself. • 2)  Next to your list, label EACH as either ascribed or achieved. • 3)  Circle the Master Status. • 4) Underline two of the statuses. For these two, list all of the roles included with performing the status. • 5) List ways in which role performance issues might arise. • 6) Indicate one area where you experience role conflict and one where you experience role strain. Why does this occur?

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