WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology sample

13 Key sociological concepts (2) Status Knowledge Status is another important concept for sociologists. Status can be seen to be held by an individual or a group. It is based on the position a person has in society and the amount of respect that position has. Jobs tend to be ranked in terms of status, so a professional job that requires qualifications, such as a doctor, will have more status than the manual job of a labourer. Status might also come from elsewhere, such as playing a sport for your country. Status can be achieved or ascribed. Ascribed status refers to the status you have at birth, such as the status that comes from your sex, your position within your family or the position of your family in society. Achieved status refers to status which is earned and is based on merit or actions, such as getting a particular job or excelling in sport. Status is often given to those who have achieved the goals of a society or have succeeded at what is valued in that society. Examples Most of the royal family’s status is ascribed, as the monarch has been given and is seen to have a particular status which the rest of their family are then born into. In Britain, status is often given to the wealthy, especially those whose wealth is achieved not ascribed. Alan Sugar is an example of a self-made businessman who has considerable status in Britain. Sugar’s fortune, according to the Sunday Times Rich List, was estimated at £1.15 billion in 2016. His success as a businessman has led to him being given a seat in the House of Lords and the title of Baron Sugar of Clapton, giving him even more status. Roles Knowledge Roles are the ‘parts’ that we play in our daily lives. These can be the jobs we do, which might be significant in the way we define ourselves, such as doctor or bus driver, or our positions such as mother, brother, boyfriend, or even the parts we play throughout the day such as shopper, driver or pedestrian. Each role has a collection of norms that go with that position or status and that define how people in that position should behave. Example The role of doctor will have a set of norms defining acceptable and expected behaviour. Thus doctors have a code of dress, for example, and a code for how to treat their patients. A doctor would be expected to be respectful and kind, but not to hug their patients. Sometimes, there might be conflict within a role . This might occur, for example, if a teacher had to teach their own child. SUMMARY Values are what is considered worth working for in society. Status is the amount of respect or the position within a society that a person has. Roles are the identifiable parts within society that we play in our lives. PLENARY Identify two values within our society, and the norms that guide how people should achieve each value. List all the roles you have played this week. Did any of them involve role conflict? What do you think?