What is status?

Social status, also called status, the relative rank that an individual holds, with attendant rights, duties, and lifestyle, in a social hierarchy based upon honour or prestige.

Status may be ascribed – that is, assigned to individuals at birth without reference to any innate abilities – or achieved, requiring special qualities and gained through competition and individual effort.

Ascribed status is typically based on sex, age, race, family, relationships, or birth, while achieved status may be based on education, occupation, marital status, accomplishments, or other factors.

The word status implies social stratification on a vertical scale, People may be said to occupy high positions when they are able to control, by order or by influence, other people’s conduct; when they derive prestige from holding important offices, or when their conduct is esteemed by others.

Relative status is a major factor in determining the way people behave toward each other. One’s status tends to vary with social context.

For example the position of a man in his kin group helps determine his position in the larger community. 

The Native American Hopi lineage, although unnamed, contains the mechanism for transmitting rights to land, houses, and ceremonial knowledge and is thus vital to personal status.

Among the Tallensi of Ghana, a boy who has lost his father is head of a household and therefore counts as an elder; a middle-aged man living under his father’s roof is formally a child.

Status may be governed by occupational considerations; thus, in parts of sub-Saharan Africa blacksmiths commonly form a separate group of low status.

In the Hindu caste system, sweepers are at the bottom of the scale because they handle excrement.

Most people associate status with the prestige of a person’s lifestyle, education, or vocation. According to sociologists, Status describes the position a person occupies in a particular setting.

We all occupy several statuses and play the roles that may be associated with them. A Role is the set of norms, values, behaviors, and personality characteristics attached to a status.

An individual may occupy the statuses of student, employee, and club president and play one or more roles with each one.

Example: Status as a student

Role 1: Classroom: Attending class, taking notes, and communicating with the professor

Role 2: Fellow student: Participating in study groups, sharing ideas, quizzing other students Status as employee

Role 1: Warehouse: Unloading boxes, labelling products, restocking shelves

Role 2: Customer service: Answering questions, solving problems, researching information Status as club president

Role 1: Administrative: Running club meetings, delegating tasks to club members

Role 2: Public: Distributing flyers, answering questions, planning community volunteer activities

At any given time, the individual described above can also occupy the statuses of athlete, date, confidant, or a number of others, depending on the setting.

With each change of status, the individual plays a different role or roles.

Subcribe on Youtube - IGNOU SERVICE

For PDF copy of Solved Assignment

WhatsApp Us - 9113311883(Paid)