Social status is determined by a combination of ascribed and achieved statuses. This discussion details the ascribed and achieved statuses forming the identity of a 23 year old, male subject as well as a consideration of the statuses that have most influenced said subject. The discussion also assesses the importance of social roles in maintaining civil order.
Social Roles
Social Problems: Social Role Questions
You in the figure- occupy many positions in society, each of which involves distinct statuses. How would you define your statuses? Which have the most influence in your life? Explain.
As with most people, I can define myself according to a cross-section of interests, aspirations and demographic associations. These form my individual status, one that features overlapping biographical characteristics such as nationality, familial background and age group as well as a wide spectrum of personal predilections formed over the course of my lifetime. I would define my statuses as both independently and collectively helping to forge my personal identity as well as my identity within such contexts as family, community and country.
Accordingly, I would consider that my Japanese nationality and my affiliation with the Asian race are defining features of my status and have had a profound influence on my life. With these statuses also comes a connection to culture, a history, a heritage and a people. My family still lives in Japanese and thus remains closely connected to our shared cultural background. And my memories and experiences from my homeland are an unparalleled influence on my values and my worldview. This helps to paint my experiences as different from those of many of my classmates at Central Washington University.
And yet, a great many statuses by which I can define myself have also helped me to find common ground with my classmates. For example, as a BMX rider, I have been able to form friendships with those who share this interest. This is a status that helps us to find social compatibility with one another. Another status by which I can identify myself is as a single male. This helps to define many of the activities and interests that I pursue on the weekends.
2. Which are achieved statuses and which ones are ascribed? Why? Explain.
The statuses described above demonstrate that my identity is formed by two categories of characteristic. These categories may be referred to as achieved status and ascribed status. First, it is appropriate to consider the latter of these. Ascribed statuses are those which are in one regard or another, ingrained and inherent. For instance, I make note of my Japanese nationality above. This is an ascribed status into which I was born, as is also true of my Asian racial affiliation. Another ascribed status is my age. I am 23 and, of course, this age was predetermined from the point of my birth. So too was my gender, with my male status also being an ascribed status. Features of my family size and scale also can be considered ascribed statuses. Accordingly, I have one older brother and one older sister. In many ways, this ascribed status has had a substantial influence on who I am, primarily because I look up to and have learned so much from my siblings.
By contrast to these statuses, which were naturally thrust upon me, I can also identify myself by a number of achieved statuses that have been determined by my own actions or priorities. For one thing, I am an exchange student at Central Washington University, a reality formulated by a wide range of actions and efforts on my part. Among them, my dedication to my studies allowed me to gain entrance into the university. My selection of the specific university from a careful process of consideration would help to determine my geographic destination. And the very fact that I desired to study abroad in the United States is a self-directed ambition contributed to this achieved status. Another achieved status of which I have already made note is my interest in and involvement with BMX riding. This is a status which helps to shape much of my use of personal time and also, as indicated above, helps to shape many of my social and recreational engagements as well.
I expect that in the future, other achieved statuses will largely involve my marital status, my occupational course, my choice of eventual residence and the way that I direct my hobbies and interests as I grow older.
3. Why are social roles important to our society? If they are broken who would be affect and why? (Example- cab driver- known how to get around the city)
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