SOC 201 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Non-Traditional Student, Ascribed Status
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For example, consider the case of a 50-year-old man, john jones, who returns to college to obtain his degree. When he enrolled in school, jones took on the status of student. The student s role is to study and to be deferential to the teachers. But jones still retained his previous status of middleaged man, as well as husband, father, and businessperson. Suppose jones has a professor who is half his age. Normally this middle-aged man expects 25-year-olds to be deferential to him. But jones is now in a situation in which this young man (the professor) refers to him as john, and he (jones) must address this kid as mr. smith. Status inconsistency generally involves a situation in which a person with a particular ascribed status achieves an inconsistent status. For example, status inconsistency frequently exists when a woman (ascribed status) goes to work as a truck driver (a status traditionally achieved by men).
