1. Social Structure and Society
Chapter 5
Social Structure and Society

2. Social Structure and Status
Social Structure: the underlying patters of relationships in a group
Status:
A position a person occupies within a social structure
Helps define you
Ascribed: a position that is neither earned nor chosen but assigned
Achieved: a position that is earned or chosen
Status Set: is all of the statuses that a person occupies at any particular time
Master: a position that strongly affects most other aspects of a person’s life

3. DIAGRAM YOUR LIFE
Diagram all of the statuses you possess and the responsibilities or role expectations for each.
Which do you feel is a master status? Which are achieved or ascribed?

4. Roles Role: behavior associated with a status
Role performance: actual behavior of an individual in a role
Role conflict: performance in one status clashes with performance in another
Role Strain: person has trouble meeting many roles in one status
How do you prioritize?
Which role is most important?

5. Rights: behavior that individuals can expect from others
Obligation: behavior that individuals are expected to perform toward other
Ex.
Rights
Obligations
Students have the right to have a prepared teacher
Teachers obligated to be prepared with a daily lesson
Teachers have the right to expect students to participate and learn
Students are obligated to put forth effort
Patients have the right to an accurate diagnosis from their doctor
Doctors are obligated to diagnose illnesses correctly.