Mr. CameronJeannette HS

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Sociologists have often viewed society as a system of interrelated parts, or as a structure

Social structure – The network of interrelated statuses and roles that guide human interaction

Status – Socially defined position in a group or in a society

Role – The behavior expected of someone occupying a particular status

BUILDING BLOCKS OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Statuses are ways of defining where individuals fi t in society and how they relate to others in society

Statuses of President Obama: PresidentFatherHusbandAfrican AmericanLawyerBasketball Fan

What are some of your statuses?

STATUS

Ascribed Status – Assigned according to qualities beyond a person’s control

Not based on ability, efforts, or accomplishments

Examples:TeenagerGenderFamily HeritageRace

ASCRIBED STATUS

Achieved Status – Acquired through a person’s direct eff orts

Eff orts include: Special SkillsKnowledgeAbility

Examples:All OccupationsHusband/WifeParentHigh School GraduateAthlete

ACHIEVED STATUS

Master Status – Plays the greatest role in shaping a person’s life and determining his or her social identity

A master status can be either achieved or ascribed

Examples: OccupationWealthMarital StatusParenthood

What is your master status?

MASTER STATUS

Master statuses change many times over the course of your life

Teenagers:StudentAthlete

Adulthood:OccupationParenthood

Late Adulthood:HobbiesBeing a Grandparent

MASTER STATUS CONTINUED

Role – The behavior expected of someone occupying a particular status

“You occupy a status, but you play a role”

At school you play the role associated with the status of student

At home you play the role associated with the status of son or daughter

ROLES

Reciprocal Role – Corresponding roles that define the patterns of interaction between related statuses

Husband Wife

Doctor Patient

Athlete Coach

Friend Friend

Leader Follower

ROLES

Role Expectations – The socially determined behaviors expected of a person performing a role

Doctors are expected to treat their patients with skill and care

Parents are expected to provide for their children

Police offi cers are expected to uphold the law

Do these people always meet society’s expectations?

ROLE EXPECTATIONS

One way that people form their role expectations is by observing role models.

People of all ages work to imitate others whom they admire.

List two people whom you consider to be role models.

What characteristics do these people possess that have made them eff ective role models in your life?

How have these people helped define your role expectations?

APPLYING SOCIOLOGY

Do these people always meet society’s expectations? NO!

Role Performance – A person’s actual role behavior

Some doctors do not provide the best possible care

Some parents mistreat their children

Occasionally, role behaviors considered appropriate by a certain part of society are seen as inappropriate by society as a whole

ROLE PERFORMANCE

Role Confl ict – Occurs when fulfi lling the role expectations of one status makes it diffi cult to fulfi ll the role expectations of another status

Good Employee = Going to Work

Good Parent = Staying Home & Take Care of Children

Role Strain – Occurs when a person has diffi culty meeting the role expectations of a single status

A teacher that has to maintain the morale of students while getting them to continually work may experience role strain

ROLE CONFLICT & ROLE STRAIN

When you play a role, you have to interact with others

The five most common forms of social interaction:

Exchange

Competition

Confl ict

Cooperation

Accommodation

TYPES OF SOCIAL INTERACTION

Exchange – Whenever people interact in an effort to receive a reward or a return for their actions

Many sociologists believe exchange is the most basic form of interaction

Exchanges are a part of: DatingFamily LifeFriendship

EXCHANGE

Reciprocity – The idea that if you do something for someone, that person owes you something in return

Nonmaterial Rewards:Thank you for doing the dishesMaterial Reward:A wage you receive for working at a restaurantExchange Theory – People are motivated by self-

interest in their interactions with other peoplePeople do things primarily for rewardsWhen the costs of an interaction outweigh the

rewards, people are likely to end the relationship

EXCHANGE

Competition – Occurs when two or more people or groups oppose each other to achieve a goal that only one can attain

List three examples of competition from your own life

Many scholars think competition is a cornerstone of American society…do you agree? Why or why not?

What are the positives and negatives of competition?

COMPETITION

Most sociologists view competition as a positive means of motivating people

Competition can be negative:Psychological StressA lack of cooperation InequalityConflict

COMPETITION

Competition = Achieving the GoalConflict = Defeating the OpponentConflict – The deliberate attempt to control a

person by force, to oppose someone, or to harm another person

Conflicts can range from bullying a classmate to killing someone

What other types of conflict can you think of?

CONFLICT

Four Sources of Confl ict:1. Wars2. Disagreements within Groups3. Legal Disputes4. Clashes over Ideology Ideology = Religion/PoliticsWhat are the positives of confl ict?

Positives:Strengthens group loyaltyCan bring social change

TYPES OF CONFLICT

Cooperation – Two or more people or groups work together to achieve a goal that will benefit more than one person

No group can complete its tasks or achieve its goals without cooperation from its members

Examples:FootballBandClass Offi cers

COOPERATION

Accommodation – A state of balance between cooperation and confl ict

Accommodation – Staying at a hotel for $80Cooperation – Staying at a hotel for freeConfl ict – Hotel owner refusing to let you stay no

matter what

Accommodation can take a number of diff erent forms:Compromise – Two parties give up something to come

to a mutual agreementTruce – Brings a halt to confl ict until a compromise is

reachedMediation – A third party acts as an advisor or

counselorArbitration – A third party makes a binding decision

ACCOMMODATION

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