Social Structure
Chapter 5
Page 133
4.2 Outcomes
Students will be expected to examine the role of social stratification in the
organization of human societies, in relation to gender, race, and socioeconomic status
Students will be expected to:
O SCO 1: Define social stratification and its related concepts (e.g. status
and role)
O SCO 2: Apply appropriate theories to the concept of social stratification
O SCO 3: Formulate a hypothesis regarding positive and negative
implication of social stratification in a society
O SCO 4: Investigate examples of the relationship between stratification,
power and inequality
Social Structure
O is the stable pattern of social relationships
that exist within a particular group or society –
provides the framework within we interact with
each other
O See fig 5.1 Social Structure Framework on page 135
O Complete the “Social Structure Framework – Graphic
Organizer” handout
What is the purpose of social structure?
O It is essential for the survival of society and for the well
being of individuals
Functionalist
O Creates order and predictability within society
O Important for human development
O Gives us the ability to interpret social situations
Example: families care for us, school educates us, police
protect us
Social Structure Con’t
O Change this, and we respond with anxiety, we do
not know what to expect.
O We see the breakdown of social structure often in
times of disaster.
O Example: Hurricane Katrina
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN2DmtIm6Qo
Critics Of Social Structure
O Can limit our options and place us in arbitrary
categories- not of our choosing
O creates boundaries
O May result in Social Marginality - the state of
being part insider and part outsider in the social
structure.
O Can lead to stigma - any physical or social
attribute or sign that so devalues a person’s
social identify from full social acceptance.
Example: “That Family”, “Mountain People”, Prison
Uniform
Components of
Social Structure
Components of Social Structure
It includes:
O Social positions
O Relationships among positions
O Resources attached to each position
Also includes all of the groups that make up
society and the relationships among them.
Social Structure of Framework
(Macrolevel Perspective)
Three social positions:
Statuses and Roles
O Social Groups
O Social Institutions
O
See fig 5.1 Social Structure Framework on page 135
Social structure affects the statuses we occupy, the
roles we play, and the groups and organizations to
which we belong
Status
O A socially defined position in a group or society
characterized by certain expectations, rights
and duties.
O Example: pro athlete, rock star, homeless
person, teacher, high school student, daughter,
social justice committee member, etc.
Status Is Not Reserved For Rich Upper Class – not
in Sociology
Activity
Take a moment…
O On the handout I have provided
O in the first column of the table
O create a list of all of the statuses that you
occupy
Status Set
You have just created a:
O Status Set: Made up of all the statuses that a person
occupies at a given time
O Example: Melanie is a teacher, wife, mother,
daughter, volunteer, NS resident (all different status
marks)
O It is your list of statuses that you just created!
Ascribed Status
O Distinguished by the way in which they are
acquired
Ascribed Status:
O A social position conferred at birth, or received
involuntarily later in life (example, a FrenchCanadian female)
O Based on race/ethnicity, age, gender, class
Achieved Status
O is a status a person assumes voluntarily as
a result of personal choice, merit or direct
effort.
O Such as occupation, education, income level
O Example: Mel Johnston, BA-GEO/SOC, B.ED,
M.ED, wife, mother
Activity
Go back to your status set that you have created
and in the second column note:
O which statuses are ascribed
O and which statuses are achieved
At this point, you may think of additional statuses
that you occupy and you should add these to your
status set.
We should note…
O Ascribed status have a significant influence on
the achieved statuses we occupy
O Ethnicity, age an gender affect each person’s
ability to acquire certain achieved statuses
O More privileged by positive ascribed statuses are
more likely to achieve more prestigious positions in
society
O Those disadvantaged by their ascribed statuses may
more easily acquire negative ascribed statuses
Master Status
O A Master status is the most important status
a person occupies.
O Example, Being Poor or rich, occupies many
other parts of our lives.
O Master status are vital to how we view
ourselves, or are seen be others and how we
interact with others.
Activity
O Go back to your status set that you have
created and in the third column record:
O Your master status!
Status Symbol
O A status symbol are material signs that
inform others of a person’s specific status.
Activity
O For the last time, go back to your status set
that you have created and in the last column
note:
O the status symbols you have for each status
Status Symbols In The Larger
Picture
Roles
O A role is a set of behavioural expectations
associated with a given status
Example: the role of a student …
O What are the expectations?
Role Expectation
O Role Expectation is a group’s or society’s
definition of the way a specific role ought to be
played.
Example of a student:
O “Oh yes, Ms.Johnston, I know the answer to your
question, it is …”
OR
O “I will always give my greatest effort”
Role Performance
O Role Performance is how we actually play
the role.
Example of a student:
O “Ms.Johnston, do I really need to know that
concept.”
O “Do I need to pass this activity in for
marks?”
Perspection of Roles
Role Conflict
O Role Conflict: occurs when incompatible
role demands are placed on a person by
two or more status held at the same time.
Example:
O High school student and McDonalds worker
O “I appreciate you letting me have Thursday
off from work so I can study for my
Sociology test.”
Role Strain
O Role Strain: when incompatible demands are
built into a single status that a person occupies
Example:
O Being a high student is a lot more stressful
than I thought it would be
Role Distancing
Role distancing
O They consciously foster the impression of a lack of
commitment to a role and simply go through the
motions of role performance
O Most likely to occur when people are in a role that is
inconsistent with how they think of themselves/how they
want to be viewed
Example: Jimmy is working at McD’s, but does not want to
bee viewed as “a loser working at a dead-end job”. He
wants to be viewed as a university student who is working
there to pick up a few bucks. When other uni students
come in to McD’s he talks to them about courses they are
taking and not about what meal deal is the best.
Role Exit
Role Exit
O occurs when people disengage completely from
social roles that have been central to their
identity
O Four stages of role exiting …
Four Stages of Role Exit
1. Doubt
O People experience frustration or burn out
2. Search for alternatives
O Take a leave of absence from work
O Temporarily separate from marriage partner
3. Action
O People realize they must take action
O Ex. Quit job or get a divorce
4. New identify
O Creation of new self as a new role is taken
on