November 15, 2020
Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. Every person is inextricably linked with the society in which he lives. Interacting with other individuals (who is this?), he occupies a certain place in relation to them.
To analyze this situation, the concept of social status was introduced. What is it and what is it for – read below.
The role of man in society
Any modern resident is endowed with many rights and responsibilities, and therefore a certain number of specific roles. If we are talking about a child, then his main functions will be those that are included in the range of responsibilities in the family, school, public transport, in clubs, etc. If we consider the social status of a woman, then she tends to simultaneously perform the roles of wife, mother, daughter , employees, students, customers, friends and be in other, no less important forms. However, one cannot deny the fact that it would be somehow strange and unnatural to see an adult wealthy man sitting at a school bench, and a first-grader driving a trolleybus. Such actions go against the corresponding position occupied by a person in the world around him.
What does this mean
The word “status” came into Russian from the Roman legal system: in the ancient world, this concept meant the legal boundaries of an individual. Only holders of status civitatis were considered honorary citizens of Rome. And those who were not lucky enough to be carriers of status libertatis, in the eyes of society, belonged to the lower strata - slaves.
The term “social” comes from the Latin socialis, which means “comradely”, “allied”. Many definitions that the Romans used in everyday life migrated to modern science.
Adding up the described concepts, we can say that social status is the position occupied by a person in society. This position implies a certain set of rights and responsibilities.
Example . A child is born as someone's son or daughter. Having matured, he becomes a high school student, then a student, and after successfully defending his diploma, he becomes an employee of a prestigious company.
These characteristics, which determine the qualities and activities of a person, are social status. It gives the bearer privileges, but also imposes certain responsibilities. Celebrities enjoy the love and respect of their audience, but must carefully monitor their actions so as not to ruin their reputation.
A person can simultaneously combine several roles: be a parent, a child, an employee, a Catholic, an activist, a member of a book club. Their importance may vary depending on the circumstances and environment. If for a family a son is a beloved child, then for a boss he is not always an executive employee.
Determination of social status
Social status is the position of an individual in the social system - society, which is predetermined by the presence of appropriate opportunities, interests, knowledge, rights and responsibilities. As a rule, a self-sufficient, full-fledged person has several statuses simultaneously, realizing their components throughout his life.
Among the complex status set, one can distinguish the so-called superstatus, which is the main indicator of the integration of an individual into society. Often this criterion is considered to be profession, place of work or main type of employment. When meeting a person, we almost always think about what the stranger does for a living.
Other qualities and properties of the individual are also of interest. Although the decisive factor may be other factors, including nationality, religion or race, sexual orientation, past life experience or criminal record.
Types of social statuses
All social statuses can be divided into three types:
- Innate - includes the gifts that an individual is endowed with from birth. This includes gender, nationality, race.
- Prescribed social status is a given, acquired regardless of a person’s preferences. For example, today you are a young man, and tomorrow an old man: you will become one, even if you really don’t want to grow old.
- Achievable is what we achieve through our own efforts. Yesterday I was a student, and tomorrow, if I put in enough effort and pass my final exams successfully, I will become an economist.
Prescribed and achieved statuses may change over time. Innate, in theory, does not change, although recently people have been making such attempts. For example, gender reassignment surgery.
What is status incompatibility?
Status incompatibility is a phenomenon characterized by two characteristics:
- in one group you occupy a high position (for example, you are the general director of a large consulting company), and in the other - a low position (in a football club you are the worst player);
- your rights and responsibilities related to one status contradict the rights and responsibilities of another social status (at work you are a strict and demanding boss, but in your family circle you are a sweet soul who vacuums and washes everyone’s dishes).
Varieties of position in society
When trying to recognize what social status is, you should familiarize yourself with its classification. Any position of an individual in the life of society can be classified into two fundamental types. The first type is performances prescribed to a person regardless of his desires, capabilities and financial components. These include gender, place of birth, national characteristics, ethnic origin. The second type is achieved social status or acquired, as they often talk about it. The achievement of his goals and peaks directly depends on the desire and abilities of a person. After all, husbands, leaders, doctors of science, football players, writers or engineers are not born, they are made.
Concept of social status
Social status is a person’s fixed position in society. A very simple definition. Society is a layer cake of social strata. Each person occupies a fixed position in one country or another, which can, however, be changed.
For example, student status at school. The student may be a first-grader (first grader), a 10th-grader, or a high school graduate. Each of these statutes assumes a different position in the school and in society. There are much more demands from teachers on a school graduate than on a first-grader, and there is more responsibility.
The status of a child implies that the child must obey his parents, go to kindergarten, school, explore the world, expand his horizons and fulfill his household duties.
The same applies to other aspects of social life. At any enterprise there are specialists who have been working here for 10-20 years. And there are interns who were hired recently. An intern and a specialist have a different share of responsibility and different functions.
A teacher must develop in his students the competencies necessary for their professional life. It’s normal for a driver to drive a bus or car so that passengers don’t feel like they’re riding in a cattle truck, etc.
In addition to responsibilities, status gives its owner rights. For example, if you are a bus driver, your annual leave should be at least 35 days, and if you are a teacher, then at least 56 days
