Status and Role : Types of Status
Types of Status-
Linton 1936 has noted two types of status:
1-Ascribed Status-Status which are given to us at birth (age,sex,kinship,race,caste )are known as ascribed status. These are 'assigned' to a person by society without regard for the person's unique talents or characteristics.Such ascribed characteristics cannot be changed by individual efforts.These are more or less determined by the cultural situation over which he has no control initially, For example,position or status of a boy or girl in a family is ascribed status in term both of sex and age.Likewise Negro and Harijan are ascribed status.
Generally,ascribed statuses are determined on four bases-
1-Sex dichotomy (male-female)
2-Age difference (child,youth,adult)
3-Kinship (son,brother,sister)
4-Social factors (divorce,widow etc)
In traditional societies most statuses are ascribed,with one's occupation and general social standing determined at birth.
2-Achieved Status-"Any social position held by an individual as a result of his or her personal accomplishments in open formal or market competition with others known as achieved status"(Oxford Dictionary of Sociology,1994).It is a social position which a person attains through his own efforts, individual choice and competition. This is secured through one's ability,performance and possibly by good or ill fortune.Collector,policeman,husband,father,college graduate,teacher are example of achieved status.
The main bases of achieved status are:
1-Property (jagirdar,zamindar)
2-Occupation (doctor,engineer)
3-Education (college,graduate,illiterate)
4-Specialisation and division of labour (foreman, mechanic)
5-Political power (prime minister,president)
6-Marital relations (husband-wife,sister-in-law etc)
7-Achievements (good sportsman,musician etc)
Societies vary considerably in the relative distribution of ascribed and achieved statuses.
Linton 1936 has noted two types of status:
1-Ascribed Status-Status which are given to us at birth (age,sex,kinship,race,caste )are known as ascribed status. These are 'assigned' to a person by society without regard for the person's unique talents or characteristics.Such ascribed characteristics cannot be changed by individual efforts.These are more or less determined by the cultural situation over which he has no control initially, For example,position or status of a boy or girl in a family is ascribed status in term both of sex and age.Likewise Negro and Harijan are ascribed status.
Generally,ascribed statuses are determined on four bases-
1-Sex dichotomy (male-female)
2-Age difference (child,youth,adult)
3-Kinship (son,brother,sister)
4-Social factors (divorce,widow etc)
In traditional societies most statuses are ascribed,with one's occupation and general social standing determined at birth.
2-Achieved Status-"Any social position held by an individual as a result of his or her personal accomplishments in open formal or market competition with others known as achieved status"(Oxford Dictionary of Sociology,1994).It is a social position which a person attains through his own efforts, individual choice and competition. This is secured through one's ability,performance and possibly by good or ill fortune.Collector,policeman,husband,father,college graduate,teacher are example of achieved status.
The main bases of achieved status are:
1-Property (jagirdar,zamindar)
2-Occupation (doctor,engineer)
3-Education (college,graduate,illiterate)
4-Specialisation and division of labour (foreman, mechanic)
5-Political power (prime minister,president)
6-Marital relations (husband-wife,sister-in-law etc)
7-Achievements (good sportsman,musician etc)
Societies vary considerably in the relative distribution of ascribed and achieved statuses.
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