The concept OF role

Remember that our roles include sets of symbols to guide our behaviour in the presence of others. We know how to behave. We can instantly imagine appropriate behaviour for us in the presence of parents, brother, sister or employer. In presenting ourselves we also consider the suitability of clothing that we might use in the presence of others. These are role relationships.

The concept of role is used in many additional ways. One important feature of the concept of role can be used to explain socialization throughout the life course or life span. We are socialized to our gender, to becoming a student, to becoming a member of a college social club, to becoming a student athlete, to becoming engaged to a person for future marriage, to becoming a graduate student, to learning a new corporate job or learning to be a lawyer, to learning a new religious life, to becoming a father or mother of your own children, to becoming a grandparent, to learning how to experience retirement and even learning how to die. In all of these instances, we are being socialized to new roles which guide our relationships to new people and new situations.

From the viewpoint of each individual, only a limited number of roles are lived during any period of one’s life. However, we can imagine innumerable roles in a society where each person interact with others, continually learning new rules, and relationships. Innumerable social networks link people together. With so many uses some sociologists have referred to the concept of role as one of the basic building blocks of society. Societies are made up of individuals and the concept of role explains the linkage between them.

Frequently the concept of role has been used to diagnose problems, for individuals or for groups. Your status refers to any role you occupy in your group or society. Your master status is the role that is dominant over any other statuses you occupy. Role strain is experienced when you’re trying to occupy two or more roles that are incompatible. One of your statuses might be as father or mother of a family, and you may also occupy another status as a corporate executive. As a mother you may want to spend more time with your infant child, but if you do, your corporate career may suffer. Your employer may want to move you to a different city? While your family wants you to stay where you are so your children can finish high school with their friends.

Things can become even more involved. Two people, simultaneously, may have complimentary and contradictory relationships with each other.