Sociology Test 2 (Role Strain)

Questions and Answers

What is role strain?

Difficulties encountered in enacting a role

What does it mean to ameliorate?

To make better; improve.

What are the psychic rewards of connectedness?

Psychological rewards from having connections with other people.

What is redundancy in a sociological context?

Ordinarily, there are several ways of meeting functional prerequisites. Signup and view all the answers

What is a short-term status passage?

The transition from one situation to another. Signup and view all the answers

What does tact refer to?

Ignoring someone's social 'error'. Signup and view all the answers

What are barriers in social interaction?

Ways to delay interaction to give an actor the chance to prepare. Signup and view all the answers

What does backstage refer to in social terms?

Opportunity to escape from interaction and relax. Signup and view all the answers

What is the norm of reciprocity?

If someone does you a favor, you owe a favor in return. Signup and view all the answers

What is a cultural universal?

What constitutes a favor and what you have to do to repay it varies from culture to culture. Signup and view all the answers

What is a long-term status passage?

Acquisition or loss of a major status. Signup and view all the answers

What are long-term ameliorations?

Early tolerance from partners, coaching, and psychic amelioration. Signup and view all the answers

What does ambivalence mean?

Being pulled in incompatible directions. Signup and view all the answers

What is psychological ambivalence?

Being pulled in incompatible directions based on personal preferences. Signup and view all the answers

What is sociological ambivalence?

Incompatible normative expectations of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors assigned to a status. Signup and view all the answers

What is a reference group?

Group an actor uses as a standard for self-evaluation. Signup and view all the answers

What is a membership group?

Group an actor is a member of. Signup and view all the answers

What does conformism mean?

Accept both the goals and the means. Signup and view all the answers

What is innovation in a sociological context?

Accept the goals, but find other (often criminal) means. Signup and view all the answers

What does retreatism mean?

Reject both the usual goals and the usual means. Signup and view all the answers

What is rebellion?

Reject both the usual goals and the usual means, but try to replace them. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Role Strain

Refers to the difficulties faced while fulfilling a particular role, possibly extending to all roles an individual manages.

Ameliorate

Means to improve or make something better, particularly something perceived as negative.

Psychic Rewards of Connectedness

Human connections involve reliance on others and vice versa, leading to both role strain and psychological benefits.
Generally, the psychological gains from social connections outweigh the occasional relational issues.

Redundancy

Multiple functional approaches exist to achieve necessary outcomes, implying that difficulties in one method don’t hinder overall success.

Short-term Status Passage

Represents the transition between situational contexts, which can lead to strain if the individual does not adjust their understanding of the new situation.

Tact

The social skill of overlooking another person's social mistakes or errors to maintain harmony in interaction.

Barriers

Mechanisms that delay interactions, allowing individuals time to prepare for social engagements.

Backstage

A private space for individuals to relax and decompress, particularly beneficial after engaging in stressful social roles.

Norm of Reciprocity

A social principle where a favor done arises an obligation to return that favor.

Cultural Universal

The interpretation of what constitutes a favor and the expectations to repay it differ across various cultures.

Long-term Status Passage

Involves gaining or losing significant social status, leading to strain due to complex behavioral expectations tied to the status.

Long Term Ameliorations

Includes early partner tolerance, coaching through mentorship, and the psychological boost associated with improved social standing.

Ambivalence

A state of conflicting desires, such as wanting to pursue two opposing directions simultaneously.

Psychological Ambivalence

The internal conflict stemming from personal preferences pulling an individual in multiple directions.

Sociological Ambivalence

A conflictual situation arising from contradictory social expectations related to a status or set of statuses, also known as role conflict.

Reference Group

A group utilized as a benchmark for self-evaluation by an individual.

Membership Group

The group to which an individual belongs and identifies with.

Conformism

Acceptance of both societal goals and the conventional means to achieve them.

Innovation

Adoption of societal goals while utilizing alternative (often illegitimate) methods to achieve them.

Retreatism

The rejection of both societal goals and the acknowledged means to pursue them.

Rebellion

The refusal to accept both traditional goals and means, accompanied by attempts to create new alternatives.

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Description

This quiz focuses on concepts related to role strain in sociology, exploring how individuals experience difficulties in enacting roles. It includes key terms and definitions essential for understanding the dynamics of sociological interactions. Prepare to enhance your knowledge in this critical area of study.