BUILDING BLOCKS OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE Chapter 4 Section 1

WHAT ARE THE TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE?  Social structure: the network of interrelated statuses and roles that guide human interaction  Status: socially defined position in a group or society  Role: the behavior expected of a person in a certain status

STATUS  Each individual has different statuses  Occupation, family membership, race or ethnic group, religion and role in religion (ex: priest, worshiper, youth group member)  Status defines your place in society

ASCRIBED STATUS  Status determined by qualities or characteristics out of one’s control  Inherited traits  Age  Examples: race or ethnicity, gender

ACHIEVED STATUS  Status achieved through one’s efforts  Earned  Skills, knowledge, or abilities  More control over achieved status  Examples: occupation, athletics

MASTER STATUS  When one status ranks over all other statuses an individual has  Greatest influence on shaping an individual  Can be achieved or ascribed, depending on the individual  Changes over time

ROLES  Expected behavior for certain status  You “play” or perform the roles for your status

RECIPROCAL ROLE  Define the patterns of interaction between related statuses  Example: husband and wife roles, doctor-patient roles

ROLE EXPECTATIONS V. ROLE PERFORMANCES  Expectations: Socially determined behaviors expected of a person performing a role  Performances: the actual role behavior that occurs – does not always match expected behavior

ROLE SET Different roles attached to a single status The interrelated roles all coming together to influence behavior of an individual

ROLE CONFLICT  Role expectations for one status interfere with another status  Example: being a good employee and being a good parent

ROLE STRAIN  When an individual has difficulty meeting role expectations for one status

SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS  Status and roles determine group structure in society  Satisfy one or more of the basic needs of society  Physical and emotional support, knowledge, producing goods and services, social control  Examples: family units, politics, education, religion

Occupy a status, but you play a role  Ralph Linton