SOC 302 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Role Theory, Subculture, Anomie
Document Summary
As a general rule, with few exceptions, the norm has a specific context in place. Status - position that people occupy in social space. Role - cluster of norms and behavior attached to a status. Ex. status - student, role - come to class, pay tuition, socialize, learn. By statuses we occupy and how well we take the role of that status determines our sense of self. Our behavior is constrained by statuses we occupy and roles attached to it. Role act as social mechanisms to our behavior. Roles and statuses are easier to conform when internalized. Because they are human creations, they change over time. Role strain - when you struggle with one role in one status. Role conflict - when one role in one status conflicts with another role in another status. Anomie - societal level condition - something happens at a macro level that breaks down society norms structure.
