W SLaLuses We normally Lhlnk of a persons sLaLus as havlng Lo do wlLh lnfluence wealLh and fame Powever

soclologlsLs use status Lo refer Lo any of Lhe full range of soclally deflned poslLlons wlLhln a large group or
socleLyfrom Lhe lowesL Lo Lhe hlghesL poslLlon Clearly a person holds more Lhan one sLaLus slmulLaneously
Ascrlbed (% and Achleved SLaLus (%
An ascr|bed status ls asslgned" Lo a person by socleLy
wlLhouL regard for Lhe person's unlque LalenLs or characLerlsLlcs
Cenerally Lhls asslgnmenL Lakes place aL blrLh Lhus a person's
raclal background gender and age are all consldered ascrlbed
sLaLuses unllke ascrlbed sLaLuses an ach|eved status ls
aLLalned by a person largely Lhrough hls or her own efforL Cne
musL do someLhlng Lo acqulre an achleved sLaLus go Lo
school learn a sklll esLabllsh a frlendshlp or lnvenL a new
producL

MasLer SLaLus (%
A masLer sLaLus ls a sLaLus LhaL domlnaLes oLhers
and Lhereby deLermlnes a person's general
poslLlon wlLhln socleLy

W Soclal 8oles
W WhaL are soclal 8oles?
A soclal role ls a seL of expecLaLlons for people who occupy a glven soclal poslLlon or sLaLus
W 8ole ConfllcL (%
lL occurs when lncompaLlble expecLaLlons arlse from Lwo or more soclal poslLlons held by Lhe same person
W 8ole SLraln (%
uescrlbe dlfflculLles LhaL resulL from Lhe dlfferlng demands and expecLaLlons assoclaLed wlLh Lhe same soclal poslLlon

8ole LxlL (%
uescrlbe Lhe process of dlsengagemenL from a role LhaL ls cenLral Lo one's selfldenLlLy and reesLabllshmenL of an
ldenLlLy ln a new role
lour sLage model of role exlL
W uoubL
W Search for alLernaLlves
W AcLlon sLage or deparLure
W CreaLlon of a new ldenLlLy


W luncLlonallsL vlew
Cne way Lo undersLand soclal lnsLlLuLlons ls Lo see how Lhey fulflll essenLlal funcLlons Soclal sclenLlsLs have ldenLlfled
flve ma[or Lasks or funcLlonal prerequlslLes LhaL a socleLy or relaLlvely permanenL group musL accompllsh lf lL ls Lo
survlve 1hese are
(1%replaclng personnel any group or socleLy musL replace personnel when Lhey dle leave or become lncapaclLaLed
(2%Leachlng new recrulLs no group can survlve lf many of lLs members re[ecL Lhe esLabllshed behavlour and
responslblllLles of Lhe group Lhe group musL encourage recrulLs Lo learn and accepL lLs values and cusLoms
(3% produclng and dlsLrlbuLlng goods and servlces any relaLlvely permanenL group or socleLy musL provlde and
dlsLrlbuLe deslred goods and servlces for lLs members
(4% preservlng order a crlLlcal funcLlon of every group or socleLy ls preservlng order and proLecLlng lLself from aLLack
(3% provldlng and malnLalnlng a sense of purpose people musL feel moLlvaLed Lo conLlnue as members of a socleLy ln
order Lo fulflll Lhe prevlous four requlremenLs