Status, Roles, and Role Conflict (8C) - Psych & Soc
- What is the looking-glass self?
- Self-concept shaped by perceived judgments of others. Cooley's theory: we see ourselves through others' eyes.
- What is role ambiguity?
- Unclear expectations about a role's duties or boundaries. Creates stress from not knowing proper role performance.
- What is role set?
- All roles associated with a single status. One status connects to multiple relationships and expectations.
- What is status set?
- The collection of all statuses held by an individual. Status set includes every social position an individual holds, influencing their overall social identity and interactions.
- Identify the concept: a parent feels pulled between being nurturing and enforcing discipline in the same role.
- Role strain. Competing demands exist within the single parent role.
- What is role conflict?
- Incompatibility between expectations of two or more roles. Different roles pull person in opposing directions.
- What is a master status?
- A status that strongly shapes identity and others' perceptions. Often overshadows other statuses, especially if stigmatized.
- What is role exit?
- The process of leaving a role central to one's identity. Involves stages: doubt, search, turning point, new identity.
- Identify the most likely master status in a hospital setting: patient, hobbyist, neighbor.
- Patient. In a hospital, the patient status dominates interactions and perceptions, overshadowing other personal identities.
- Which status type is illustrated when a person becomes a licensed attorney after education and exams?
- Achieved status. Earned through personal effort, not assigned at birth.
- Choose the best label: being a first-generation student is assigned at birth or earned later?
- Ascribed status. Ascribed statuses are involuntary and based on inherent traits or family circumstances present from birth.
- Choose the best label: becoming a licensed physician is an ascribed or achieved status?
- Achieved status. Achieved statuses are acquired through deliberate actions, such as completing rigorous training and certification in a profession.
- What is a social role?
- A set of expected behaviors tied to a particular status. Roles define how someone in a status should act.
- What is role conflict?
- Incompatibility between expectations of two or more roles. Arises when multiple roles have contradictory demands.
- Identify the concept: a physician feels tension between hospital rules and patient advocacy.
- Role conflict. Two roles (employee vs. advocate) create incompatible demands.
- What is role performance?
- How an individual actually carries out the behaviors of a role. Role performance involves the practical enactment of role expectations, which can vary based on individual interpretation and situational factors.
- What is role exit?
- The process of disengaging from a role central to identity. Role exit involves a transitional process where individuals detach from significant roles, often requiring adjustment to new identities.
- What is role-taking in symbolic interactionism?
- Adopting another person's perspective to guide one's behavior. Mead's concept of understanding others' expectations.
- What is social status in sociology?
- A socially defined position in a group with associated prestige. Combines position in social structure with relative ranking.
- What is a master status?
- A status that dominates identity and shapes social interactions. Often visible characteristics like disability or celebrity.
- Identify the concept: A physician feels pressure to see more patients while providing thorough care.
- Role strain. Conflicting demands within the physician role itself.
- What is the difference between ascribed status and achieved status?
- Ascribed is assigned at birth; achieved is earned through actions. Ascribed statuses are inherent and unchangeable, while achieved statuses result from personal merit or choices in social contexts.
- What is an achieved status?
- A status obtained through effort, choice, or accomplishment. Reflects meritocracy and individual agency in social mobility.
- What is a role set?
- The collection of roles associated with a single status. A role set encompasses the array of expectations linked to one status, interacting with different social actors in varied contexts.
- What is an achieved status?
- A status attained through effort, choice, or accomplishment. Achieved statuses reflect personal agency and accomplishments, allowing mobility within social structures through education or career efforts.
- Identify the concept: pressure to conform to a role to gain social approval.
- Normative social influence. Normative social influence motivates adherence to role expectations to avoid disapproval and gain acceptance within a group.
- What is social status in sociology?
- A socially defined position in a group linked to prestige and power. Reflects hierarchical social organization and resource distribution.
- What is role strain?
- Stress from competing demands within a single role. Occurs when one role has conflicting expectations.
- What is role-making?
- Modifying a role through negotiation and individual agency. Shows active construction rather than passive acceptance.
- What is an ascribed status?
- A status assigned at birth or involuntarily later in life. Examples include race, sex, or family background.
- What is meant by status inconsistency?
- Mismatch in social rank across different statuses (e.g., low income, high education). Status inconsistency creates social ambiguity and potential stress when rankings in different status dimensions do not align.
- What is role embracement?
- Strong identification with and commitment to a role. Person fully accepts and internalizes role expectations.
- What is role set?
- The set of roles linked to one status across different relationships. Teacher has roles with students, parents, administrators.
- What is an ascribed status?
- A status assigned at birth or involuntarily later in life. Examples include race, sex, or family background—not chosen.
- What is role distance?
- Detachment from a role while still performing it. Creates separation between self and role performance.
- Identify whether this is role strain or role conflict: a parent must work late and attend a child recital.
- Role conflict. Role conflict stems from incompatible demands across different roles, like balancing professional and familial obligations.
- What is role exit?
- The process of disengaging from a role central to one's identity. Often involves stages of doubt, search, and adjustment.
- What is status set?
- All statuses held by an individual at a given time. Shows complexity of modern social positions and identities.
- What is an ascribed status?
- A status assigned involuntarily, often at birth. Ascribed statuses are determined by factors beyond individual control, such as ethnicity or family background, shaping social interactions from birth.
- What is an achieved status?
- A status attained through effort, choice, or accomplishment. Examples include education level or career position.
- What is the relationship between status and role?
- Status is the position; role is the behavioral expectation for it. Status is structural position; role is its performance requirements.
- What is role overload?
- Difficulty meeting role demands due to limited time or resources. Role overload happens when the cumulative demands of a role exceed an individual's capacity, leading to stress and inefficiency.
- Which term describes groups that set and enforce norms for a role?
- Reference groups. Reference groups provide standards for behavior and self-evaluation, influencing role conformity through comparison and aspiration.
- What is impression management in Goffman's dramaturgical theory?
- Strategic control of how one is perceived by others. Life as theater: front stage vs. backstage behavior.
- What is role strain?
- Stress from competing demands within one role or status. Occurs when single role has contradictory expectations.
- What is socialization in the context of roles and status?
- Learning norms and role expectations through social interaction. Socialization teaches individuals the cultural norms, values, and role behaviors necessary for functioning within society through ongoing interactions.
- Which term best fits: among many statuses, being "incarcerated" dominates how others treat the person?
- Master status. Criminal status overrides other identities in social interactions.
- Identify whether this is role strain or role conflict: a teacher must grade and tutor simultaneously.
- Role strain. Role strain involves internal contradictions within one role, such as a teacher's dual duties that compete for attention.
- Identify the concept: A student-employee misses class due to work scheduling demands.
- Role conflict. Student and employee roles have incompatible demands.
- Which option best defines a social role?
- Expected behaviors and obligations tied to a particular status. Social roles outline the normative behaviors and responsibilities expected from individuals occupying specific statuses in society.
- What is status set?
- The collection of all statuses a person holds at one time. Multiple simultaneous positions like parent, employee, friend.
- What is meant by social status in sociology?
- A socially defined position in a group associated with prestige. Social status refers to one's position within a societal hierarchy, often linked to levels of respect or influence based on cultural values.
- What is a social role?
- A set of expected behaviors for a given social status. Guides interaction and maintains social order through predictable patterns.
- Identify the concept: An intern adopts professional dress and jargon before starting a job.
- Anticipatory socialization. Practicing professional role before officially entering it.