Describe and give two examples of social roles and explain their importance in our daily lives; differentiate between ascribed and achieved roles and provide an example of each type of role; and illustrate with examples the negative effects of role conflicts

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer will include that each of us belongs to many overlapping social groups. In each, we occupy a position in the structure of the group. Social roles are patterns of behavior expected of persons in various social positions. For instance, playing the role of mother, boss, or student involves different sets of behaviors and expectations. Thus, roles streamline daily interactions by allowing us to anticipate what others will do. When a person is acting as a doctor, mother, clerk, or police officer, we expect certain behaviors. Some roles are ascribed and some are achieved. Ascribed roles are those that are assigned to a person or are not under personal control, such as being male or female, a nephew or grandparent, an adolescent or middle-aged person. Achieved roles are voluntarily attained by special effort, such as being a spouse, teacher, college president, doctor, or bandleader. However, roles have a negative side, too. Many people experience role conflicts, in which two or more roles make conflicting demands on them, for example, a teacher who must flunk a close friend's son, a mother who has a full-time job, or a soccer coach whose daughter is on the team but isn't a very good athlete. Likewise, the clashing demands of work, family, and school create role conflicts for many students. Role conflicts at work, such as being a good team player versus being a strong manager, can lead to job burnout and negative health outcomes.