Status factor of human safety. Social status of a person
Concept
The concept was first used in a sociological sense by the English historian and lawyer Henry Maine.
Social status is the place or position of an individual, correlated with the position of other people; this is the place of the individual in a hierarchically organized social structure, his objective position in it; it is an inexhaustible human resource that gives a person the opportunity to influence society and through it obtain privileged positions in the system of power and distribution of material wealth. Each person occupies a number of positions in society, each of which involves a number of rights and responsibilities. Social statuses are structural elements of the social organization of society, ensuring social connections between subjects of social relations. Society not only creates social positions - statuses, but also provides social mechanisms for distributing members of society into these positions.
Types of statuses
Each person, as a rule, has not one, but several social statuses. Sociologists distinguish:
- natural status- the status a person received at birth (gender, race, nationality). In some cases, birth status may change: the status of a member of the royal family is from birth and as long as the monarchy exists.
- acquired (achieved) status- the status that a person achieves through his own efforts (position, post).
- prescribed (attributed) status- a status that a person acquires regardless of his desire (age, status in the family); it can change over the course of his life. The prescribed status is either innate or acquired.
Status incompatibility
Status incompatibility occurs under two circumstances:
- when an individual occupies a high rank in one group and a low rank in the second;
- when the rights and obligations of one person's status conflict with or interfere with the rights and obligations of another.
Examples: a scientist had to leave to work as a salesman at a commercial kiosk, an elderly man was used as an errand boy, a policeman had to become a racketeer, a minister had to participate in negotiations with terrorists. A highly paid official (high professional rank) will most likely also have a high family rank as a person who provides material wealth for the family. But it does not automatically follow from this that he will have high ranks in other groups - among friends, relatives, colleagues!
Literature
In English
- Warner W.L., Heker M., Cells K. Social Class in America. A Manual co Procedure for Measurement of Social Status. Chicago, 1949.
- Linton R. The Study of Man. N.Y., 1936
In Russian
- 2.2. Social statuses and roles(P. 54-59) in the book: Shkaratan, Ovsey Irmovich. Sociology of inequality. Theory and reality; National research University "Higher School of Economics". - M.: Publishing house. House of the Higher School of Economics, 2012. - 526 p. - ISBN 978-5-7598-0913-5
Notes
see also
Wikimedia Foundation.
2010.
See what “Social status” is in other dictionaries: See Social status. Philosophical encyclopedic dictionary. M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Ch. editor: L. F. Ilyichev, P. N. Fedoseev, S. M. Kovalev, V. G. Panov. 1983. SOCIAL STATUS ...
Philosophical Encyclopedia See SOCIAL STATUS. Antinazi. Encyclopedia of Sociology, 2009 ...
Encyclopedia of Sociology - (lat. status position) the relative position of an individual or social group in a social system, determined by a number of characteristics characteristic of a given system. S.S. how elements of the social organization of society are complexly coordinated and... ...
The latest philosophical dictionary social status
Dictionary of linguistic terms T.V. Foal Social status - The position of the individual in society, his place in social hierarchies of various types, which determines relationships with other members of society. Social status is interpreted in different ways: 1. an undifferentiated set of all social characteristics... ...
General linguistics. Sociolinguistics: Dictionary-reference book SOCIAL STATUS - the relative position (position) of an individual or group in the social structure, distinguishing them from other individuals and groups. The social status of a person is determined by his relation to the sphere of professional work. In this regard, the population is divided into... ...
The latest philosophical dictionary- socialinis statusas statusas T sritis Kūno kultūra ir sportas apibrėžtis Individo, grupės padėtis socialinėje sistemoje (pvz., komandos socialinis statusas, sportininko socialinis statusas, trenerio socialinis statusas). Socialinį statusą lemia… …Sporto terminų žodynas
Dictionary of linguistic terms T.V. Foal- (see Social status) ... Human ecology
General linguistics. Sociolinguistics: Dictionary-reference book- See status, social... Explanatory dictionary of psychology
Dictionary of linguistic terms T.V. Foal- The position of an individual in society, his permanent or temporary place in social hierarchies of various types, which determines relationships with other members of society. The term can be used in different meanings. 1. Undifferentiated… … Dictionary of sociolinguistic terms
Books
- Exodus from the Ghetto. The social context of Jewish emancipation, 1770-1870, Yakov Katz. The classic study of the outstanding Israeli historian and sociologist Yakov Katz is devoted to the analysis of the complex and long process of integration of Jews into European society. Exodus of Jews from...
A person, being a part of society, is inevitably covered with a persistent patina of social statuses that determine his duties and privileges. You can get rid of some of them by replacing them with more suitable ones, while others will haunt their owner until death. For example, having been born a boy, a child cannot somehow change this fact, remaining a male throughout his life. Each person has a whole bunch of social statuses that belong to different groups and may vary depending on the situation. The role of these “labels” is fundamental in modern society.
Social status. Concept. Kinds
Naturally, labeling occurs in different ways. Therefore, social statuses are divided into prescribed and achieved. A person receives his prescribed status at birth, having almost no opportunity to change it during his life. The individual makes no effort to obtain such social status. Examples: gender, race, noble title, age, etc. From early childhood, a person is taught to conform to the prescribed status: “a man should not cry,” “a girl should be beautiful,” and other behavioral stereotypes are designed to raise a harmonious member of society.
Personal status is the result of efforts aimed at obtaining it. Often, any type of social status reflects a person’s merits in a certain area. For example: master of sports, candidate of sciences, professor, husband, alcoholic, ballerina, etc. Often it is one of the achieved statuses that is fundamental in a person’s life and most fully reflects his aspirations and talents.
Group social status
Not only individual people, but also entire groups of people have their status in society. Castes, classes, all kinds of associations and professions are by no means equal to each other - each of them occupies its own unique niche in the hierarchy. No matter how modern cultural figures and politicians shout about equality, this is just a sweet lie designed to hide the harsh reality. After all, no one will argue that the social status of miners is immeasurably lower than that of politicians or businessmen.
As soon as a person becomes a member of a group, he immediately receives a lot of rights and responsibilities inherent in it. For example, when joining the police, an employee receives a number of privileges not available to ordinary citizens, but this status obliges him to act if he sees an offense, even if he is not on duty. The status of a social group obliges him to do this. Many groups are at the same level in the hierarchical ladder, while some are unattainably high for mere mortals. At the same time, the benefits that representatives of a profession or association bring to society do not in any way affect their rank in it.
Individual social status
Not only groups and associations of people have their own rank and weight. Each of them has its own ranking system, which determines the relationships between people. School experience teaches us that every class has its own bully, its own nerd, an excellent student, a joker, a leader - all this is the social status of an individual. However, each of the students has more than one status. Coming to school, children are primarily students, but at home each of them also becomes a son, sister, nephew, etc. Throughout life, everyone tries on a huge number of roles, the social status of an individual constantly changes depending on the team, in where a person finds himself, and his personal qualities.
In different circles, one and the same individual may occupy different positions. A strict and domineering boss, who holds his subordinates in an iron fist, may be under the thumb of a strict wife. It also happens the other way around, when a weak and indecisive person, unable to stand up for himself in a team, turns into a ruthless tyrant as soon as he crosses the threshold of his home. If a person’s status in different groups differs significantly, then an internal contradiction arises, which often becomes the cause of conflicts.
Role conflict
In cases where a person occupies a high rank in one group, and in another is at the very bottom of the hierarchical ladder, conflict is inevitable. It can be internal, when an individual silently experiences discomfort, or it can develop into a clash with colleagues. Examples of role conflicts are found everywhere, for example, when an elderly person is an errand boy for a young boss. Or when this boss is relaxing with friends who treat him with some disdain, not at all like his subordinates.
If a person’s social status is high, then he will try with all his might to maintain it. Naturally, there will always be people who are not happy with their rank, who want to rise higher and gain more weight in society. This gives rise to competition within the group, which allows the fittest and strongest members of society to rise to the top.
Resolving internal conflicts
Often, contradictions between roles lead to internal confrontation, which takes up a lot of time and effort. For example, during a natural disaster, a rescuer will first go to save his own family, obeying the role of parent and spouse. And only after he is convinced that his family is safe will it be time to perform his official duties.
The same thing happens with dealers selling alcohol or other drugs. As a parent, he does not want his child to be poisoned by this muck, but as a businessman, this person is unable to resist the sweet call of profit. Types of social statuses vary in their significance for the owner. The main thing is to choose the role that is the main one at the moment, thereby completely destroying the impending internal contradictions.
Social status of the family
Not only does an individual person occupy his own rank in the social hierarchy, each family also has its own status. Usually the position of a social unit depends on material well-being, but this is not always the case. The family of a military man or official occupies a special position in society, even if they are not burdened with wealth. In those countries where noble titles or castes have been preserved, belonging to a noble dynasty decides a lot.
In ancient times, wealthy merchants often married representatives of a poor but titled family in order to share with them the high social status of the family. Such a far-sighted move opened many doors for the rich merchant that were closed to commoners.
The influence of social status on personality
Roles in society are rarely superficial. These can only be those types of social statuses that are assigned for a short period of time: passerby, patient, buyer.
Basically, belonging to a certain role leaves a deep imprint on a person’s entire life. The status to which the subject attaches the greatest importance has a special influence. For example, a professor, musician, athlete, serial killer, etc. Having taken on a serious role, a person gradually begins to change, acquiring the character traits and skills necessary to fulfill it.
A doctor, if he has worked in this field for a long time, evaluates people completely differently than a police officer. The surgeon will evaluate the person according to his parameters, formed by his professional activities. Likewise, an investigator, having worked for years among hardened criminals, will never be the same.
Expectations of others
By taking on a certain role, we in some way become its hostages. Since the social status of an individual is fixed, those around him know what to expect from this person. The stereotype will cling to you like a tick, not allowing you to take a single step to the side. After all, as soon as your behavior goes beyond what is expected, the pressure will begin to return the lost sheep to the fold. An excellent tool for keeping people on track is a system of rewards and punishments.
Unfortunately, some types of social status are inevitable. There is no way to get rid of the status of a child, an old person, a man or a woman. From childhood, girls are taught to clean, cook, run a household, take care of themselves, and are instilled with the idea that they can only become successful as individuals by getting married successfully. If a young lady dreams of becoming a boxing or auto racing star, she will immediately encounter misunderstanding or ridicule; few will take her dream seriously. The same is true with age. No one will take seriously a child's attempts to go into business, and an old man trying to meet a young girl will cause disapproval from others.
The meaning of social status
Nowadays it is very fashionable to talk about how everyone around is equal, that everyone has the same rights and responsibilities. Of course, this is not true. Until now, social status is decisive in the life of every member of society. Examples of this are found everywhere.
Therefore, all types of social statuses - both group and personal - are as relevant today as they were a thousand years ago. However, do not forget that society puts labels on you, so they are only valid where there are people. Compliance with social status is just one of the quirks of the modern world, and not a monumental law of the universe. You can only play your role without getting used to it. From childhood we are taught that achieving prestige and high status in society is of paramount importance. But it is not at all necessary to accept such rules of the game. A man of low standing in society will go to prison for a trivial theft, while a banker can defraud millions of people with only a formal warning.
The social status of an individual is an indicator of how high a position a person occupies in society. This is not necessarily a job description: a person’s status may vary depending on his gender, age, marital status or profession. This position on the social ladder not only indicates a person’s place, but also gives him certain rights and responsibilities. They may be different for each society.
How to determine social status?
You should not think that everyone has one single social status assigned to them. Each of us simultaneously has several positions, which depend on the system to which they belong. For example, a woman’s social status can have many faces: she is, for example, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an employee of a company, a Christian, and a member of an organization (besides this, there are many other examples of social status). The set of these provisions is called the status set. From the above example it is clear how social status is determined: this includes marital status, religious views, professional activities, personal interests, etc.
As a rule, the person himself determines his main socio-psychological status, but this is also influenced by which group other people identify him with in the first place. In addition, it is also possible to change the social status of an individual: for example, we change our status when we receive a higher education, start a family, find a new job, etc.
Types of social statuses
There are two main types of human positions on the social ladder: acquired and prescribed (innate) social status. The first of them is characterized by what a person acquires during his life: level of education, political views, profession, etc. The prescribed social status is what is given to a person by nature: nationality, language, place of birth, etc.
At the same time, not all social statuses of women and men are assessed equally by others. Some of them are prestigious, and some are the opposite. The hierarchy of prestige depends on such provisions as the real usefulness of a particular social function and the value system operating in that particular society.
In addition, there are several other types of social statuses: personal and group. Personal status is status at the level of a small group of people with whom a person interacts constantly. For example, this group could be a family, a work team, or a group of friends. As a rule, it is determined by character traits and various personal qualities.
Group status characterizes a person as a member of one or another large social group. This includes a person's status as a representative of a certain class, profession, nation, gender, age, etc.
Depending on social status, a person adjusts his behavior. For example, at home a man is a father and husband, and he behaves accordingly. But at work he is a professor and teacher, and, accordingly, he will behave completely differently. Depending on how successfully a person corresponds to one or another of his statuses, one speaks of his ability to fulfill his social role. That is why there are such expressions as “a good specialist”, “a bad father”, “an excellent friend” - all this characterizes this particular indicator. Moreover, the same person can cope with his social roles differently, which is why he can be “bad” from one point of view and “good” from another.
All possible roles of a person in society as an individual cannot arise without an appropriate predetermining factor. In this case, it is the position of the individual in society, which is a complex system. At the same time, understanding what social status is and how it is related to the previous aspects is quite simple.
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.
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.
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.
Prescribed social status
The modern system of society is a very complex functioning formation, the institutions of which cease to work if any individual fails to fulfill the mass of responsibilities indicated by relationships in individual social groups. With the goal of unanimously agreed upon fulfillment of the duties of the prescribed status from birth, a person goes through a long path of preparation and training to fulfill the assigned roles. The initial stage of personality formation takes place in early childhood according to additional criteria, which often serve as a formula for achieving success in the future. Age and gender criteria serve as the basis for role prescriptions in society. Following them are race, nationality, as well as religious and class gradations.
The first role learning that continues in childhood is some socialization processes depending on gender. In later life, they will have a huge impact on the formation and characteristics of the social status of an already established adult. For example, from the moment of birth, girls are destined for pink vests, many dolls and princesses. Young girls are gradually prepared for adult life, taught culinary tricks and the secrets of maintaining a home. It is not customary for little ladies to be raised in a boyish style. And although this type of parenting can sometimes be found, it is mostly considered bad form.
Features of the prescribed status
As for the education of boys, in adulthood it demonstrates the consequences of the educational process, which can be safely attributed to the opposite type. From a very early age, they know that it is better to be strong than weak, because they will have to protect timid girls, and then become a support and a strong shoulder for their entire family. Such methods, which contribute to the formation of personality, determine in the future the different social statuses of men and women.
It should be noted that many modern professions are relevant for representatives of both sexes. Some jobs can be done by women, and they can do them just as well as men, and vice versa. For example, in some states girls are not hired as domestic servants in wealthy homes. In particular, in the Philippines, only men are accepted to perform secretarial work, despite the fact that some hard work in the agricultural sector is amenable mainly to the weaker half of humanity.
Acquired position in society
What social status is can also be understood through the prism of achieved results. Each individual is given a wide choice of opportunities determined by prescribed statuses. Each person can acquire a new position in society using their individual abilities, preferences, diligence, or, oddly enough, luck. After all, Michael Young, the famous British sociologist, was quite successfully able to formulate a similar phenomenon. He said that the important titles of kings, lords and princesses are prescribed social statuses that are assigned to an individual regardless of the efforts he makes to achieve high ranks.
The acquired social status of a person in society is not given from birth; only persons suitable for this can acquire the corresponding position. Not all people born as men can acquire the status of husband or father. This will not happen automatically - it all depends on the actions, behavior and attitude to life of a particular individual. The formation of the desired status occurs through the use of talent, desire, determination and an active position.
The predominant importance of social statuses
Often in traditional societies, prescribed statuses are decisive, since further activity and the corresponding occupation of a particular public place depend on many factors related to the moment of birth. Men often try to be like their fathers and grandfathers, imitating them and wanting to adopt their skills in professions they have known since childhood. In addition, by nature a man is a hunter, fisherman and warrior. Naturally, it is quite difficult to literally realize this part of a man’s destiny in industrial societies, but having the freedom to choose occupations to achieve a particular position, incredible opportunities open up for today’s “breadwinners.”
Distribution in society by social status
For the successful functioning of the social system, a sufficient level of mobility of labor resources is required, which leads to a priority expression of orientation towards the personal characteristics of individuals, to the replacement of one status by another through the efforts made. Meanwhile, movement up the status ladder is under the constant control of the entire society in order to comply with the principles of justice, which allow only those people who have been able to truly prove themselves to acquire a high position in society. Those who could not find their successful “environment” will have to pay with uncompetitiveness and failure in new roles.
This implies a huge number of people who, being in the current situation, do not feel a sense of satisfaction.
How to achieve a high place in society?
Only a person who has gone through a long and difficult path can understand what a high-level social status is and how to use its privileges. It also happens that the acquired position subsequently obliges the individual to make changes not only in work activity, but also in everyday life, place of residence, circle of acquaintances and friends. When a person has to come face to face with difficulties that are significantly removed from the experience of his ancestors due to significant differences between his social status and the social position of his parents, the process of accepting new roles is predetermined by the emerging status.
An ideal society is considered to be one where the predominant number of social statuses are acquired. Isn't it fair if every person finds his place in the sun and strives for it, proving it with his abilities, work or talent? In addition, the opportunity to successfully prove oneself provides a chance to justify any significant shortcomings.
The absolutely opposite picture is in a society where in most cases a position in society is prescribed, but a person does not expect an increase in his status and does not make even the slightest effort to do so. People who earn little money doing low-prestige work do not feel guilty about having a low social status. Without comparing the current state of affairs with the situation of other, more ambitious and impetuous people, such an individual is not oppressed by a feeling of dissatisfaction, insecurity or fear of losing something.
Dictionary of linguistic terms T.V. Foal- a certain position in the social structure of a group or society, connected with other positions through a system of rights and obligations. The status “teacher” makes sense only in relation to the status “student”, but not in relation to the salesman, pedestrian or engineer. For them, just an individual.
The teacher is obliged to transfer scientific knowledge to the student, test and evaluate it, and monitor discipline. He is endowed, in particular, with the right not to certify the student and leave him for the second year. And everyone knows how this can affect the fate of a teenager. The student is required to regularly attend classes, fulfill the teacher’s requirements, and prepare homework. In other words, the teacher and student enter into social relations with each other as representatives of two large social groups, as bearers of social status.
It is important to understand the following:
- social statuses are interrelated with each other, but do not interact with each other;
- Only subjects (holders, bearers) of statuses interact with each other, i.e. people;
- It is not statuses that enter into social relations, but their bearers;
- social relations connect statuses, but these relations are realized through people who are carriers of statuses.
One person has many statuses because he participates in many groups and organizations. He is a man, a father, a husband, a son, a teacher, a professor, a doctor of science, a middle-aged man, a member of the editorial board, an Orthodox Christian, etc. One person can occupy two opposite statuses, but in relation to different people: for his children he is a father , and for his mother a son. The totality of all statuses occupied by one person is called status set(this concept was introduced into science by the American sociologist Robert Merton).
In the status set there will definitely be a main one. Main status name the most characteristic status for a given person, with which he is identified (identified) by other people or with which he identifies himself. For men, the main thing most often is the status associated with the main place of work (bank director, lawyer, worker), and for women - with the place of residence (housewife). Although other options are possible. This means that the main status is relative - it is not uniquely associated with gender, race or profession. The main thing is always the status that determines the style and lifestyle, circle of acquaintances, and behavior.
There are also social and personal statuses. Social status is the position of a person in society, which he occupies as a representative of a large social group (profession, class, nationality, gender, age, religion).
Personal status is the position of an individual in a small group, depending on how he is assessed and perceived by members of this group (friends, relatives) in accordance with his personal qualities. To be a leader or an outsider, the life of the party or an expert, means to occupy a certain place in the structure (or system) of interpersonal relationships (but not social ones).
Varieties of social status are ascribed and achieved statuses. Ascribed is the status in which a person is born ( inborn status), but which is later necessarily recognized as such by society or group.
This includes gender, nationality, and race. Negro is an innate status in the sense that it is impossible to change the color of the skin and the physiological characteristics of the body associated with it. However, blacks in the USA, South Africa and Cuba have different social statuses. In Cuba, as in most countries, the Negro, a representative of the indigenous population, which constitutes the absolute majority, has equal rights with others. In South Africa, as in Cuba, blacks are the majority of the population, but during the apartheid period they were subjected to political and social discrimination.
In the United States, blacks are a minority of the population, but the legal situation in a certain historical period was reminiscent of the situation in South Africa.
Thus, the Negro is not only a born (given by nature), but also an ascribed status. Ascribed and innate statuses include: “member of the royal family,” “descendant of a noble family,” etc.
They are innate because royal and noble privileges are inherited by a child as a blood relative. However, the liquidation of the monarchical system and the destruction of noble privileges indicate the relativity of such statuses.
The innate status must be reinforced in public opinion and the social structure of society. Only then will it be innate and ascribed at the same time.
The kinship system gives a whole set of innate and ascribed statuses: son, daughter, sister, brother, mother, father, nephew, aunt, cousin, grandfather, etc. They are received by blood relatives. Non-blood relatives are called in-laws. The mother-in-law is the mother-in-law, the father-in-law is the father-in-law. These are ascribed, but not innate, statuses, because they are acquired through marriage. These are the statuses of stepson and stepdaughter obtained through adoption.
In the strict sense, ascribed is any status acquired against one's own free will and over which the individual has no control. Unlike him achievable status is acquired as a result of free choice, personal effort and is under the control of a person. These are the statuses of a president, a banker, a student, a professor, an Orthodox member of the conservative party.
The statuses of husband, wife, godfather and mother are attainable because they are obtained at will. But sometimes the type of status is difficult to determine.
In such cases we talk about mixed a status that has the characteristics of ascribed and achieved. For example, the status of unemployed, if it was obtained not voluntarily, but as a result of a massive reduction in production, an economic crisis.
So, let's summarize what has been said: status is the position of an individual in a group or society. Therefore, there are personal and social statuses. In addition to them, there is the main (what you identify with), attributed (given by circumstances beyond your control), achieved (by free choice) and mixed.
The listed sets of statuses existing in human society are not exhausted. Attributed, achieved, mixed, social, personal statuses, as well as professional, economic, political, demographic, religious and consanguineous statuses belong to the variety main statuses.
In addition to them, there are a huge number of episodic, non-core statuses. These are the statuses of a pedestrian, passer-by, patient, witness, participant in a demonstration, strike or crowd, reader, listener, television viewer, standing in line for housing, dining in a canteen, etc.
Typically this is temporary states. The rights and obligations of holders of such statuses are often not registered in any way. They are generally difficult to detect, say, in a passerby. But they exist, although they influence not the main, but the secondary traits of behavior, thinking and feeling. Thus, the status of a professor determines a lot in the life of a given person. What about his temporary status as a passerby or a patient? Of course not.
So, let’s summarize: a person has basic (they determine the main ones in life) and non-basic (they influence the details of behavior) statuses. The first are significantly different from the second.
At no point in time does any person exist outside of status or statuses. If he leaves one cell, he will definitely end up in another. It is not at all necessary that at a given moment in time one person has only one status. Quite the contrary, there are a lot of them, and much more than we suspect.
Behind each status - permanent or temporary, main or non-main - there is large social group, or social category. Orthodox Christians, conservatives, engineers, men (main statuses) form real groups. All tenants, patients, pedestrians standing in line for housing (non-primary statuses) form nominal groups, or statistical categories. As a rule, holders of non-main statuses do not coordinate their behavior with each other in any way and do not interact. They are a typical object of statistics.
A person is characterized by at least two types of mismatches:
- thoughts, words and actions (according to the principle: I think one thing, say another, and do a third);
- needs, values and motives. Both relate to our inner world.
However, there are other types of mismatches. One of them describes the external position of the individual in society or group. It's called mismatch (or divergence) of statuses.
An individual has many statuses and belongs to many social groups, the prestige of which in society is not the same: businessmen are valued higher than plumbers or general workers; men in production have greater social weight than women; belonging to the main nation is not the same as belonging to a national minority, etc.
In public opinion, it is developed over time, orally transmitted, supported, but, as a rule, is not registered in any documents status hierarchy and social groups where some are valued and respected more than others.
A place in such an invisible hierarchy is called rank. They talk about high, middle or low ranks. Hierarchy can exist between groups within the same society (in which case it is called intergroup) and between individuals within the same group ( intragroup). And here a person’s place is denoted by the same term “rank”.
Status discrepancy describes the contradiction in intergroup and intragroup hierarchies. It occurs under two circumstances:
- when an individual occupies a high rank in one group and a low rank in the second;
- when the rights and duties of one status conflict or interfere with the rights and duties of another.
A highly paid banker (high professional rank) will most likely also have a high family rank - as a person who provides material wealth for the family. But it does not automatically follow from this that he will have high ranks in other groups - among friends, relatives, co-workers or Sunday joggers.
Another example: a woman’s relatively low production rank will most likely cause her subordinates to doubt her high professional qualities as a department head. It is generally accepted that women are bad leaders.
Another situation: it is officially prohibited to combine the functions of a people’s deputy and a minister, but unofficially, that is, again in public opinion, the combination of statuses by police officers as members of a criminal gang is not approved.
So, let's conclude: some human statuses are in harmony, while others are in contradiction. It is called status mismatch: a high rank in one social group and a low rank in another.
Although statuses do not enter into social relations directly, but only indirectly - through their carriers, they mainly determine the content and nature of social relations. A person looks at the world and treats other people in accordance with his status.
The poor despise the rich, and the rich disdain the poor. Dog owners do not understand non-owners who complain that they have become the owners of a forest park. A professional investigator, although unconsciously, divides people into potential criminals, law-abiding and witnesses. A Russian is more likely to show solidarity with a Russian than with a Jew or Tatar, and vice versa.
Political, religious, demographic, consanguineous, economic, professional statuses of a person determine the intensity, duration, direction and content of people’s social relations.
If you want to find out what kind of relationship you will have with a non-relative or non-friend (and relative and friend are statuses in different structures), you must find out the content of their statuses. Status determines the interest that a given person will explicitly or implicitly, permanently or temporarily, pursue and defend. An entrepreneur is interested in you only as a client, a woman - as a potential sexual partner, a seller - as a possible buyer.
This is the hidden motive of their relationship with you. Interest in you, the duration and intensity of your relationship will be determined by how soon this other person realizes that you are not giving what he expected to receive from you.
Of course, a person does not express true interest directly. He disguises it and surrounds it with rules of polite behavior. The latter create the illusion that a trusting relationship has developed between you.
So, let's summarize what has been said: it is statuses that determine the nature, content, duration or intensity of human relationships - both interpersonal and social.
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