Reading Activities and Notes
Chapter 4 Section 1
Status and Roles Comprehension
Directions: Review the first chart. Review the definitions for status and roles and
study the given examples. Answer the question below the chart.
Status
Fire Fighter
Mother
Examples of Roles
1.
2.
3.
4.
Putting fires out
Saving lives
Wearing a uniform
Driving a fire truck
1.
2.
3.
4.
Providing food and shelter
nurturing family
disciplining children
cleaning house
Question: Read the chart above. In the space below, explain the difference between the statuses
and roles.
Complete the following chart by filling in the missing status and roles.
Father
Movie Star
1. Usually, earns money to take care
of the family.
2. Usually makes the major
decisions for the family.
3. Often likes to watch/play sports.
1. Usually, earns money by acting.
2. Entertain people.
3. Most of them are beautiful and
handsome.
4. Usually, they have their own specific
trait and charming point.
*****Read Chapter 4 Section 1*****
Reading Activities and Notes
Complete the chart below by reading the directions in each box.
Status
Examples of Roles
1. Study to obtain the knowledge.
2. Follow the school’s rule.
3. Do the homework.
Student
Teenager
Concept
1. Usually, go to school and take education.
2. Play with friends.
3. Help parents.
Define the following concepts:
Definition
Status
A socially defined position in a group or in a society.
Master Status
The status plays the greatest role in shaping a person’s life and
determining his or her social identify.
The behavior the right and obligations expected of someone
occupying a particular status.
The different roles attacked to a single status.
Role
Role Set
Reading Activities and Notes
Status/Role Web Charts
Directions: For the following status web charts below, type in your master status in
the center circle. Then, in the outer circles, state the role set that accompanies the
status by describing the roles in the surrounding circles. Do the same thing for your
secondary status web chart.
Master Status
Study
-they are
studying
everyday at
school.
Communicate
with another
friend.
-they are
communicating
with other friends
at school.
Respect the
teachers.
-respecting
teacher to show
Student
Take a
responsibility
for homework.
Follow the
school’s rule.
Reading Activities and Notes
Secondary Status
Go to school
and study
Help parents
for learn
managing
future house
work.
Follow the law
of country
-Do not
something
illegal.
.
Teenager
Communicate
with many
people.
Follow the
teacher’s
direction.
Define the following concepts:
Concept
Reciprocal Roles
Role Conflict
Definition
Corresponding roles that define the
patterns of interaction between related
statuses.
Role expectation of one status makes it
difficult to fulfill the role expectation of
another status.
Reading Activities and Notes
Occurs when a person has difficulty
meeting the role expectations of single
status.
Role Strain
Answer the following questions in the space below each item.
1. What is the reciprocal role example provided in the book? List 3 pairs of statuses
that would contain reciprocal roles. Explain why each status has a reciprocal role.
-one cannot fulfill the role associated with the status of interaction of husband
without having someone else perform the role that goes along with the status of
wife
-Husband-wife
2. In either of your status web charts above, are their any reciprocal roles that help
define your status. If so, what are the reciprocal roles?
-Students-teacher
Complete the chart below:
Directions: Complete the chart below by providing the book example and your
example. In the last two columns describe the differences between Role Strain and
Role Conflict.
Book Example
Role Strain
Role Conflict
Occurs when a
person has
difficulty
meeting the role
expectation of
single status.
Occurs when
fulfilling the
role expectation
of one status
makes it
difficult to
fulfill another
status.
Your
Example
I need to
study to get
good grade
but I’m so
lazy so I
don’t study
a lot.
To be a
good
worker,
husband
need to go
to work but
to be a
good
parent,
husband
need to
take care of
child.
Similarity
Difference
Both of roles
have
difficulty to
expect.
Role conflict is
that one status
makes it
difficult to
fulfill another
status. But role
strain has
difficulty with
single status.
Reading Activities and Notes
Review the two Status Webs Charts above and
answer the following questions:

Examine your master status. What are the role strains you experience when
fulfilling your master status? Explain how you experience this strain.
-My master status is student. My strain is study. Student have to go to school
every day and study. But I cannot study a lot because I need rest after school.

Examine both statuses you identified. What are some possible role conflicts that
might occur between these two statuses? Explain these conflicts and why they
might happen.
-I need to help my parent but I also need to study at school and after school, I have
cram school so I cannot help and stay with my parents.
Vocabulary Synthesis: For each word, create your own synthesized definition using
your own words. Review the VRS and the notes above. Then, synthesize the two
definitions to create one definition for the key terms below. Do not use the book for
this exercise.
Word
Role
Expectations
Ascribed
Status
Achieved
Status
Role
Performance
Definition
Concept Synthesis
The behavior the right and
obligations expected of
someone occupying a
particular status.
What you think or hope will
happen.
To claim that something is
caused by a particular person.
The position or condition of a
person, group, country.
To successfully complete
something or get a good result,
especially by working hard.
The position or condition of a
person, group, country.
The behavior the right and
obligations expected of
someone occupying a
particular status.
When someone performs a
play or a piece of music.
Role Expectations:
-The socially determined
behaviors expected of a person
performing a role.
Ascribed Status:
-assigned according to
qualities beyond a person’s
control.
Achieved Status:
-through their own direct
efforts. These efforts include
special skills, knowledge, or
abilities.
Role Performance:
-Their actual role behavior
does not always match the
behavior expected be society.
Reading Activities and Notes
Complete the chart below:
Your
Example
Book Example
Ascribed Status
Achieved Status
Because of your
age, you hold the
status of teenager
or young adult.
Someone achieves
the status of actor
because of his or
her acting abilities.
Because of
my age, I
cannot join
the
basketball
team.
I won the
basketball
game
because I
practiced
every day.
Similarity
Difference
Both of statuses
are result of
doing
something.
Achieved status
need effort of
doing something
but ascribed status
does not need
effort.
1. In your Status Web Charts above, describe whether your statuses are ascribed
statuses or achieved statuses. Explain why!!!
-My status is student and which is ascribed status. Because of my age, I have to go to
school and study. Even if I want to work, I cannot work because of my age.
2. In the right column list 3 status examples you have not use above. In the second
column, describe at least two role expectations for each example status. Finally,
in the third column, explain each status’s role performance problems.
Status
Role Expectations
Teacher
Example: Treat patients with
skill
Treat patients with care
Honest with patients
Teach study to student with
skills.
Give knowledge to students.
Actor
They entertain us by acting.
Police
Arrest a culprit.
Example: Doctor
Role Performance Problems
Example: Doctor focuses on
making money and ignores
patient needs.
Some students might don’t
like teacher because of his
way to teach.
Teacher sometimes punishes
students.
Audiences might feel bat
because of their acting.
Sometimes they cannot arrest
culprits.