SOCIAL STRUCTURE Chapter 3.1

Who Am I? Soon to be Tia Teacher Friend Single Sister Thai White Traveler College graduate Woman Daughter

Guiding questions: *What are the two major components of social structure? *How do these two components of social structure affect human interaction? Social Structure: the network of interrelated statuses and roles that guide human interaction Status: a socially defined position in a group or in a society Role: the behavior- the rights and obligations expected of someone occupying a particular status

STATUS Statuses are ways of defining where individuals fit in society and how they relate to others in society Ascribed Status: assigned beyond a person’s control Achieved Status: given through their own direct efforts including special skills, knowledge or ability

Master Status Master Status: Achieved or ascribed this status plays the greatest role in shaping a person’s life and determining his/her social identity

ROLES Reciprocal Roles- Corresponding Roles that define a pattern of interaction between related statuses Athlete-? Friend-? Husband-? Seller-? Employer-? Leader-? Doctor-?

Role Expectation The socially determined role expected of a person performing a role Police-uphold the law Doctors-care for patients Parents-provide physical & emotional care Students-do all their homework and get good grades

Role Performance Actual role behavior Reality does not always meet expectations

Role Conflict and Role Strain Some of us are asked to perform many roles that contradict one another referred to as a role set Role conflict occurs when fulfilling the role expectation of one status making it difficult to fill the role of another status Role Strain occurs when a person has difficulty fulfilling the expectations of a single status

Social Institutions Statuses and roles organized to satisfy one or more of the basic needs of society Education Prison Religion Economics Media Family