Living in society, one cannot be free from it. During life, a person comes into contact with a large number of other individuals and groups to which they belong. At the same time, in each of them he occupies a certain place. To analyze the position of a person in each group and society as a whole, such concepts as social status and social role are used. Let's take a closer look at what it is.
Meaning of the term and general characteristics
The very word "status" originates from Ancient Rome. Back then, it had more of a legal connotation than a sociological one, and denoted the legal status of an organization.
Now social status is a person's position in a particular group and society as a whole, endowing him with certain rights, privileges, and duties in relation to other members.
It helps people interact better with each other. If a person of a certain social status does not fulfill hisduty, he will be responsible for it. So, an entrepreneur who sews clothes to order, if the deadlines are missed, will pay a pen alty. In addition, his reputation will be damaged.
Examples of the social status of one person - schoolboy, son, grandson, brother, sports club member, citizen, and so on.
This is a certain characteristic of a person according to his professional qualities, financial and marital status, age, education and other criteria.
A person can simultaneously be a member of several teams and, accordingly, play not one, but many different roles. Therefore, they talk about status sets. Each person is unique and individual.
Types of social statuses, examples
Their range is wide enough. There are statuses acquired at birth, and there are statuses acquired during life. Those that society ascribes to a person, or those that he achieves through his own efforts.
They distinguish the main and passing social status of a person. Examples: the main and universal, in fact, the person himself, then comes the second - this is a citizen. The list of basic statuses also includes consanguinity, economic, political, religious. The list goes on.
Episodic is a passer-by, a patient, a striker, a buyer, an exhibition visitor. That is, such statuses for the same person can change quite quickly and periodically repeat.
Prescribed social status: examples
This is what a person receives from birth, biologically and geographically given characteristics. Until recently, it was impossible to influence them and change the situation. Examples of social status: gender, nationality, race. These given parameters remain with a person for life. Although in our progressive society they have already threatened to change the sex. So one of the listed statuses ceases to be prescribed to some extent.
Most of what pertains to kinship will also be considered a prescribed species. This is father, mother, sister, brother. And the husband and wife are already acquired statuses.
Achievable Status
This is what a person achieves on his own. Making efforts, making choices, working, studying, each individual eventually comes to certain results. His successes or failures are reflected in the society giving him the status he deserves. Doctor, director, company president, professor, thief, homeless person, vagabond.
Almost every achieved social status of a person has its own insignia. Examples:
- military, security forces, employees of internal troops - uniform and epaulettes;
- doctors wear white coats;
- people who break the law have tattoos on their bodies.
Roles in society
To understand how this or that object will behave, the social status of a person will help. We find examples and confirmations of this all the time. behavioral expectations andThe appearance of an individual, depending on his belonging to a certain class, is called a social role.
So, the status of a parent obliges to be strict, but fair to your child, to be responsible for him, to teach, give advice, prompt, help in difficult situations. The status of a son or daughter is, on the contrary, a certain subordination to parents, legal and material dependence on them.
But, despite some patterns of behavior, each person has a choice of how to act. Examples of social status and its use by a person do not fit one hundred percent into the proposed framework. There is only a scheme, a certain template, which each individual implements according to his abilities and ideas.
It often happens that it is difficult for one person to combine several social roles. For example, the first role of a woman is mother, wife, and her second role is a successful business woman. Both roles involve the investment of effort, time, full return. A conflict arises.
Analysis of the social status of a person, an example of his actions in life, allow us to conclude that it reflects not only the internal position of a person, but also affects appearance, manner of dressing, speaking.
Let's consider examples of social status and standards attached to it in appearance. So, the director of a bank or the founder of a reputable company cannot appear at the workplace in sports trousers or rubber boots. And the priest - to come to church in jeans.
Status achieveda person makes him pay attention not only to appearance and behavior, but also to choose a social circle, place of residence, education.
Prestige
Not the last role in the fate of people is played by such a concept as prestige (and positive, from the point of view of the majority, social status). We can easily find examples in the questionnaire, which is written by students of all senior classes before entering higher educational institutions. Often they make their choice focusing on the prestige of a particular profession. Now few of the boys dream of becoming an astronaut or a pilot. It used to be a very popular profession. Choose between lawyers and financiers. So time dictates.
Conclusion: a person develops as a person in the process of mastering different social statuses and roles. The brighter the dynamics, the more adapted to life the individual will become.
