ROLE AND STATUS

Introduction
The human society exhibit an order because of the integrated social relations and activities of its
members.

In a society no one can do the work of all and the needs of the members can be fulfilled by
coordination of members having different responsibilities, duties and rights.

This gives rise to status. Each status has a set of expected behaviours associated with it, called roles.

Role

Definitions
Young and Mack: “A role is the function of a status.”

Kingsley and Davis: “the manner in which a person actually carries out the requirements of his
position.”

Nature of Roles
1. They are to be played by every member of society.
Role-playing is obligatory for all members and they are bound to play social roles. The
number of roles that one plays depends on the statuses that he/she assumes. Eg. A teacher
may also act as career and psychological counsellor.
2. They might be shared by many or enacted by few
Some social roles are shared by a great many people. Eg. There can be many citizens, voters,
teachers etc.
Some roles are enacted only by one or comparatively a few individuals at a particular time
and place. Eg. In India there can only be a few governors based on the number of seats
1. They might be voluntary or involuntary
A person may choose to enact/not enact some roles. Eg. Professional roles
The enactment of many roles is continuous. They are might be unchangeable. Eg. Gender
roles

Interrelationship between Roles and Statuses

1. They are interrelated
Status is simply the position in a society or group. Role is the behavioural aspect of status.
While a status is occupied, a role is performed.
Acc. to Bierstedt “Status may be called an institutionalised role, when a role becomes
standardised and regularised in society, it becomes a status.”
 2. Role is relational
An individual performs a role vis-a-vis another person’s role which is a counter position. Eg.
An advocate plays a role in relation to the client’s role

3. Role and status as a concept form part of two social sciences

Role is a concept and phenomenon of social psychology while status is a concept and
phenomenon of sociology. Different individuals may paly different roles in same status. Eg. 2
individuals in the same status as a teacher but play different roles

4. Both are dynamic and constantly changing

Role of an individual changes with change in status, and status changes with change in
norms attached with it. To suit the changing needs of the position (status) responsibility
attached with it may also change (increase or decrease).

Concepts related to role

Role Behavior
It refers to the way in which certain individuals fulfill the expectations of a role. It refers to the actual
behaviour and not the role itself. It depends upon factors which may make an individual do more or
less than the expectations of his status. individual efforts, obligations and positions.

It depends on

1. Efforts of individual
2. Feeling of obligation one has towards normative aspect of status
3. Statuses held by individual and roles attached with them
4. Capacity of individual

Role taking
It refers to person responding by putting himself mentally and imaginatively in the role of the other
person in order to regulate his own behavior. Role taking is also important in process of socialisation.
It is done in response to others expectations and not necessarily for conformity. It forms ‘social self’
of a person, which is his image or ego with which he sees himself.

Role Conflict
It refers to the conflict experienced by the individual at the time of role playing.

This can be at two levels

1. Within his own body of roles

An individual may experience conflict if there is discord between his perception of his role
and his perception of his actual role behavior. Eg. The way a person should act compared to
the way he actually acts
2. Between his own roles and those of other actors
An individual may experience conflicts within his two roles. An individual may perceive some
incompatibility between the role requirements of two or more roles when he is playing them
together. Eg. Professional role and parental role
Status
Society is an interconnection of interactions. In an interaction, individuals respond differently due
different identities attached. The identity guiding such responses is social status.

Status means position, also referred as honour/prestige (in a social hierarchy). It is a part of study of
social stratification.

A status is simply a rank or position that one holds in a group. One occupies the status of son or
daughter, playmate, pupil, bread-winner, radical and so on. One has as many statuses as there are
groups of which one is a member.

Definition
Ralf Linton: “Status simply is a position in a social system, such as child or parent. Status refers to
what a person is, whereas the closely linked notion of role refers to the behaviour expected of
people in a status.”

Nature
1. External symbols to identify the status: Dress is one such indication, such as that os army
officers, doctors, advocates etc.
2. Every status has its own rights, duties and obligations: Eg. Right of an employer to expect
a particular behaviour and obligation of employee to behave in so desired manner.
3. Social statuses are governed by norms: norms vary with person situation and statuses.
4. One individual may have several statuses - Since society can be understood as the
network of statuses, it is quiet natural that in every society we find a large number of
groups which have many statuses.
5. Statuses exercise an influence upon the careers of individuals.
6. Statuses differ with their degree of importance.
7. Statuses add to social order and social stability
8. Social status has a hierarchical distribution

Types

Ascribed statuses
Those over which the individual has absolutely no choice. They are derived from membership in
involuntary groups, which get assigned to them, such as sex group, age group, racial group.

Eg. Sex, Religion, Kinship

Achieved statuses
Those about which the person has some choice, however much or little are achieved statutes. They
are acquired by skills, intelligence, motivation level etc. All societies have achieved statuses and no
society depends completely on ascribed statuses.

Eg. Professional, academic accomplishments

Inter-relation between Ascribed and Achieved Statuses
1. Though opposite in principle, both of these are complementary and go hand in hand and are
essential for a balanced society.
2. Generally, within a framework of ascribed statuses are sets of achieved status. Ascribed
status provides a sense of security and achieved status provides a sense of achievement.
3. They also change with time, Eg. earlier religious status was totally ascribed while nowadays it
might be achieved ( i.e. choice based)

Conclusion
Status is simply a position which is occupied while role is manner in which requirements of position
are carried out. Status may be called an institutionalised role, i.e. when a role becomes standardised
and regularised in society. By such statuses and their associated roles, members of a society work in
coordination to fulfil their needs and desires. Thus, roles and status form an important part of social
structure.