Chapter 3 Section 1

 Social structure is the network of interrelated statuses and roles that guide human interaction  Status: is a socially defined position in a group or a society  Role: is the behavior-the rights and obligation- expected of someone occupying a particular status

 Each individual occupies several statuses  Ascribed status: is assigned according to qualities beyond a person’s control.  (ex. Race, age, gender)  Achieved status: is assigned through a persons’ own direct efforts  (ex. Baseball player through skill, singer through talent, etc.)  Master status: the greatest role shaping a person’s life and determining his/her social identity  This changes over time, can be either ascribed or achieved

 Outlines behavior and expectations of a given status  Role Set: interrelated obligations to perform attached to a particular status  Role Conflict: occurs when fulfilling the roles of one status makes it difficult to fulfill the role of another status  Role Strain: occurs when a person has difficulty meeting the role expectations of a single status  Role Exit: the process one goes through to detach from a role that has been central to their self-identity (ex. Divorced people, former military personnel, former priests, mothers who have lost custody)

 When statuses and roles become organized to satisfy one or more of the basic needs, the group is called a social institution  Basic needs include:  Providing physical and emotional support  Transmitting knowledge  Producing goods and services  Maintaining social control  Institutions include:  The family  Economic institution  Political institution  Education  Religion

 Pg. 57 #1-6