SOCI-1015EL Lecture 9: Social Structures-MacroLevel
20 Jun 2018
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Chapter 5
Social Structure: The Macro-level Perspective
Components of Social Structure
Status
Socially defined position in a group or society characterized by certain expectations, rights, and
duties.
Master Status
Master Status is the most important status an individual occupies; determining a
person’s general and social position.
Ascribed and Achieved Status
Ascribed — Social position conferred at birth or received involuntary later in life, based
on attributes over which the individual has little or no control, such as race, ethnicity, age
and gender.
Achieved — A social position that a person assumes voluntarily as a result of personal
choice, merit, or direct effort.
Status Symbols
A material sign that informs others of person’s specific status.
Roles
Society
Social Institutions
Statuses and Roles
Traditional
Family
Religion
Education
Government
Economy
Emergent
Sports
Mass Media
Science/Medicine
Military
Achieved Status
Occupation
Education
Income
Ascribed Status
Race/Ethnicity
Age
Gender
Class
Secondary Groups
Schools
Churches
Corporations
Social Groups
Primary Groups
Family Members
Close Friends
Peers
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Document Summary
Socially de ned position in a group or society characterized by certain expectations, rights, and duties. Master status is the most important status an individual occupies; determining a person"s general and social position. Ascribed social position conferred at birth or received involuntary later in life, based on attributes over which the individual has little or no control, such as race, ethnicity, age and gender. Achieved a social position that a person assumes voluntarily as a result of personal choice, merit, or direct effort. A material sign that informs others of person"s speci c status. A set of behavioural expectations associated with a given status. A group"s or society"s de nition of the way that a speci c role ought to be played. Con ict a situation in which incompatible role demands are placed on a person by two or more statuses help at the same time.
