Your status in society is your defined position-each of these statuses has one or more roles attached to it.

A role is the behavior that is expected of someone who occupies a particular status.

            An ascribed status is one that is assigned-it is not in our control.

            An achieved status is one that we gain by our own efforts

Examples: ascribed-teenager or adult/according to your age. You did not choose this status, it is simply what you are.

                   Achieved-basketball player, Mom, principal

You gained these statuses because of who you are.

Your master status is the greatest role that you play.  It is who you are identified with in society.  (Mom, teacher, wife)

 

Roles:

You occupy a status by the role you play.  Most of the roles you perform have a reciprocal role.  This is a role that goes along with another or compliments another.  For instance if I am a teacher, you are a student.  Ex. spouse.  Other examples:  coach/athlete, parent/child.

 

Socially determined behaviors that go along with a role are defined as role expectations.  These are expected to be performed as part of the role.  For example a doctor is expected to care for his patients, a teacher is expected to teach and care about children. 

 

We all belong to more than one status.  This is known as our role set.  Sometimes a person’s role performance, their actual behavior, does not meet his/her role expectations.  When this happens, role conflict or role strain can occur.  Role conflict happens when it is difficult to fulfill the role expectations of one status because you are trying to complete another.  Role strain happens when a person has trouble meeting the expectations of one role. 

All of your roles in society help to make up various social institutions.  These include education, family, religion, economy and politics. 

 

Sometimes in life your status or role can take a serious turn-sometimes for good and sometimes for bad.  Watch the following ESPN special below.  How did Steve Gleason's status change?  Master Status?  Role?  And it's also a great example of how music can play a role in sociology.
Click here for the full espn report: 

Steve Gleason, Pearl Jam connect

 

Sports and music both have the power to bring people together in real and meaningful ways.

To understand that better, watch this story from ESPN's "E:60" exploring the connection between ex-New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who is fighting ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), and the musicians of Pearl Jam, whose music Gleason has loved since he was a teenager.

You'll see Gleason, who is recording a video journal for his young son, share a powerful moment with Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder as they discuss leadership and fatherhood.