Social Role Theory
By Heather Standish
and Nate Holmy
Talcott Parsons (sociologist)
&
Orville Brim (social psychologist)
What is a Role?
 n: any set of behaviors that has a socially
agreed-upon function and an accepted code
of norms
 n: a socially expected behavior pattern
usually determined by an individual's status
in a particular society (m-w.com)
•Came from theater
•Increasingly diverse and
complex
•More than one role
Definitions
 Role Enactment- patterned
characteristics of social
behavior
 Social Roles- the parts or
identities a person assumes
 Role Expectationsscripts/shared expectations
for behavior that are linked
to each part
Types of Roles

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
Cultural roles
Situation-specific roles
Biological roles
Gender roles
Reciprocal Roles




Bridge individual and society
Define each other partly
Function- role groups determine
ex. parent and child, student and
teacher
Analyzing Impact on Development

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Number of roles
Role involvement
Time demanded
Strict or flexible associations
Implications for Human
Development
 New Roles and appear for individuals
when the life stage changes
 Age and ability are factors
 Your Social Roles create the type of
life experience you have
Social Identity
 Being involved in personal
relationships and social groups help
define your social identity
 You need some sort of responsibility
or expectation
 Situations of crisis help define who
you are
In Vs Out
 In Groups
 In is what you want to be apart of
 Out is what you don’t want to be
associated with (why a person might
discriminate)
Links to Psychosocial Theroy
 Network of roles and responsibilities
increase through the life stages
 Shows how adults handle crises to
benefit their ego
Theorists
 Tajfel ( Responsibility)
 Deaux, Reid, Mizarahi, Ethier (Crisis
of life homeless)