Sociology of Roles and Status

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Questions and Answers

Match the following terms with their definitions:

Role Strain = A condition when the demands of a particular role are hard to meet Role Conflict = A condition when the demands of a person's roles clash Status Inconsistency = Occurs when an individual's ascribed and achieved statuses are inconsistent

What is the difference between achieved and ascribed status?

Achieved status is earned through effort, while ascribed status is given regardless of effort.

What are the role expectations of the different occupational positions at Wal-Mart?

The role expectations include specific job duties for each position and how they relate to other roles.

What type of management style exists at Wal-Mart according to Rosen?

Management by intimidation and intensifying work pressure on staff. Signup and view all the answers

What does social stratification mean?

An evaluation ranking reward system and its results. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three main systems of social stratification provided by McIntyre?

Caste system, estate system, and class system. Signup and view all the answers

What are some examples of legitimating rationales for class and caste systems?

Caste system in India and class systems during industrialization. Signup and view all the answers

Explain how Karl Marx uses means of production, bourgeoisie, and proletariat to explain inequality.

Means of production refers to what is needed to survive; bourgeoisie owns it; proletariat sells labor for survival. Signup and view all the answers

How is Max Weber's conception of class multidimensional?

It incorporates economic power, status, and authority. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between lifestyle and life chances?

Lifestyle refers to consumption patterns; life chances are probabilities concerning an individual's fate. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between intragenerational mobility and intergenerational mobility?

Intragenerational mobility occurs during a person's life; intergenerational mobility occurs across generations. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between income and wealth inequality?

Income is money received; wealth is the total value of assets minus debt. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a cultural explanation and a structural explanation of poverty?

Cultural explanation focuses on social class values; structural explanation emphasizes lack of opportunities. Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'Fallacy of Hard Work'?

The belief that hard work guarantees success. Signup and view all the answers

What is structural mobility?

Mobility resulting from social changes like occupation structure shifts. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between endogamy and exogamy?

Endogamy is marrying within a local community; exogamy is marrying outside of it. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between discrimination and prejudice?

Discrimination is unfair treatment; prejudice is a negative attitude based on group membership. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between individual and institutional discrimination?

Individual discrimination is personal bias; institutional discrimination is systemic denial of rights. Signup and view all the answers

What is racism?

Prejudice or discrimination against someone based on their race. Signup and view all the answers

How is racism a system of unearned privileges for dominant racial groups?

Dominant groups receive advantages denied to others. Signup and view all the answers

What is white supremacy?

A belief system promoting white advantage in society. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Role Concepts

Role Strain: Difficulty in fulfilling multiple demands of a specific role.
Role Conflict: Occurs when demands from different roles clash, causing tension.
Status Inconsistency: When an individual's ascribed (inborn) status conflicts with their achieved (earned) status, leading to societal disapproval.

Status Definitions

Achieved Status: Status earned through personal efforts and accomplishments.
Ascribed Status: Status assigned at birth or involuntarily acquired, irrespective of efforts.

Occupational Role Expectation

In a corporate setting like Wal-Mart, role expectations encompass specific job duties and also responsibilities related to other employees’ positions.

Management Style at Wal-Mart

Characterized by intimidation tactics and increased work pressure on retail staff, driven by a profit-oriented culture.

Social stratification refers to the hierarchical organization of individuals in society, ranked based on various criteria.

Caste System: Ranking established by birth, with no social mobility.
Estate System: Social rank also determined at birth, allowing some interaction between ranks.
Class System: Rank based on achievements, permitting mobility and the possibility of improvement.

Legitimating Rationales

Caste Example: India exemplifies rigid caste structures.
Class Example: Industrialized nations like the USA allow mobility, especially post-industrialization.

Marx’s Explanation of Inequality

Means of Production: Essential resources required for survival.
Bourgeoisie: Capitalist class owning the means of production.
Proletariat: Working class selling labor for survival, creating a dynamic of economic inequality.

Weber’s Multidimensional Class Theory

Max Weber expanded the concept of class to include power and status, contrasting with Marx's singular economic focus.

Lifestyle vs. Life Chances

Lifestyle: Represents consumption patterns and cultural norms associated with different social classes.
Life Chances: Refers to the opportunities individuals have to improve their quality of life, influenced by socioeconomic status.

Intragenerational vs. Intergenerational Mobility

Intragenerational Mobility: Social mobility occurring within an individual’s lifetime.
Intergenerational Mobility: Social status changes observed across generations.

Income vs. Wealth Inequality

Income: Earnings received from work and investments.
Wealth: Total value of assets owned minus liabilities.
Wealth inequality significantly influences life chances, as it enables opportunities for education, healthcare, and upward mobility.

Cultural vs. Structural Explanations of Poverty

Cultural Explanation: Attributes poverty to the values and beliefs of different social classes, suggesting lower classes inherit incompatible norms.
Structural Explanation: Points to systemic barriers and lack of opportunities as the primary reasons for poverty.

Fallacy of Hard Work

Assumes success is solely based on hard work, ignoring structural barriers and inequalities present in society.

Structural Mobility

Resulting from societal changes such as shifts in the job market and demographic factors, this concept challenges the belief that hard work alone guarantees social advancement.

Endogamy vs. Exogamy

Endogamy: Marrying within a community.
Exogamy: Marrying outside of one’s community.
Open social systems promote exogamy, while closed systems tend to favor endogamy.

Discrimination vs. Prejudice

Discrimination: Unfair treatment of individuals based on group membership.
Prejudice: A preconceived negative attitude towards a group based on stereotypes.

Individual vs. Institutional Discrimination

Individual Discrimination: Acts of discrimination from one person to another.
Institutional Discrimination: Systematic denial of rights and opportunities to certain groups as part of societal norms.

Understanding Racism

Defined as prejudice and discrimination based on race, rooted in beliefs of racial superiority.

Racism and Unearned Privileges

Functions as a system granting advantages to dominant racial groups, often at the expense of marginalized groups.

White Supremacy

A belief system that endorses the superiority of white individuals and sustains systemic racial advantages, reinforcing inequities in society.

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Description

Explore the concepts of role strain, role conflict, and status inconsistency in this informative quiz. Learn how achieved and ascribed statuses affect individuals in various settings, including the corporate world. Test your understanding of occupational roles and management styles, particularly in environments like Wal-Mart.