Building Blocks of Social Structure 4.1
Terms Social structure Status Role Ascribed status Achieved status Master status Roles Social Institution
Social structure The network of interrelated statuses and roles that guide human interaction
Status A socially defined position in a group or in a society. Each status has attached to it one or more roles. Status is a way to define where individuals fit in and relate to others in society.
Roles Is the: behavior & the rights and obligations – expected of someone occupying a particular status.
Each individual in society occupies several statuses. Teacher, a father, a husband, an African American, etc…
Ascribed Status Assigned according to qualities beyond a person’s control. Based on a person’s inherited traits beyond your control. Teenager, young adult, gender, family heritage, race, etc…
Achieved Status Acquired through skills, knowledge, abilities, or direct effort. People have control over their achieved status. Basketball players – practice, playing, knowledge of the game. Husband, wife, college graduate, etc…
Master Status Since all individuals hold many different kinds of statuses, one status ranks above all others. Can be achieved or ascribed
Master Status Teenagers status is often ascribed: Teenager, student, athlete Adults master status is usually achieved: Occupation, wealth, marital status, parenthood Late Adulthood achieved and ascribed Volunteer work, hobbies, grandparenthood Past accomplishments
Roles Status serves as social categories Roles are the component of social structure that bring statuses to life. You occupy a status, but you play a role Ralph Linton
Reciprocal roles Corresponding roles that define the patterns of interaction between related statuses. You cannot fill the role of ________without having someone else perform the role that goes along with the status of ______. Athlete/Coach Husband/Wife doctor/Patient Leader/follower Friend/Friend
Role Expectations Socially determined behaviors expected of a person Doctors are expected to treat patients with skill and care Parents are expected to provide emotional care.
Role Performance Actual role behavior Does not always match the behavior expected by society. Doctors don’t always treat their patients well.
Role Set Different roles attached to a single status.
Role Conflict Occurs when fulfilling the role expectations of one status and makes it difficult to fulfill the expectations of another status. Ex: A good employee needs to go to work, a good parent needs to stay at home with a sick child.
Role Strain Occurs when a person has difficulty meeting the role expectations of a single status. Ex: The boss who needs to maintain the morale of his employees while getting them to work long hours of overtime.
Social Institutions Provide the basic needs to society Physical support Emotional support Transmitting knowledge Producing goods and services Maintaining social control Examples: Family Economy Politics Education Religion Media Science Medicine
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