Everyone in the community at the same time serves several roles.At home we can be parents or children, at work - by subordinates in the store - customers.Social status - a place in society, in a hierarchical structure, which corresponds to the position of other people.
Because each person has more than one status at the same time, sociologists have introduced generalizing the concept of "status set."This set includes the entire set of status of the individual.For example, Peter L. (36 years) at the same time is: a son of his parents, a father to his son, husband, brothers and cousins, the car driver, the head of the sales department, customer in stores etc.In each status set there is the main status, which identifies the man himself.It is this status determines his way of life, social circle, demeanor.For L. Petrovsky it - head.Most people also identify themselves primarily by professional affiliation.
Types heterogeneous social status.Some are permanent, while others change throughout life, and not always by the will of man.Social status may be:
- innate;
- acquired or achieved;
- prescribed or assigned.
Natural Born social status - a nationality, gender, race.Sometimes there are natural born status, which may change.For example, a member of the royal family may lose the status if the monarchy is transformed into a different kind of state.
acquire social status changes, and formed lifelong skills-based identity, its aspirations, competition.For example, the achiever or poor students, chain of command - Head - big head, etc.
It is acquiring the status is most commonly associated with the concept of social prestige.Social prestige - is the importance that the public consciousness attributes to different aspects of human life.Prestigious considered high social roles (managers, politicians, well-to-do people, and so forth.).Sometimes the prestige does not depend on personal efforts.For example, it is considered a prestigious beauty.However, this innate quality can be changed.Today there are many beauty parlors, where you can change your appearance, fit it to any valid today's image.And look, corresponding fashion trends, and the very possibility of making costly plastic surgery society is considered prestigious.High reputation have people working in large organizations (such as Rosneft, Gazprom, the major banks).Profession considered prestigious jewelers, lawyers, doctors, etc.People who have such possibilities, a profession have a high social prestige.
with the concept of social prestige are closely related to the concept of credibility, respect, social influence.The pursuit of high social prestige justified desire of the individual to assert himself, to achieve security, public respect.Prestige is not nothing but a hierarchy of status, recognized by the Company, recorded in a culture that has been established in the public mind.It's kind of a magnet.In the sphere of influence of the prestigious status there is a strong social pressure, there are grouped the most active, ambitious, trained and personality.The prestige of the high status of a significant impact on self-assertion and self-perception.
prescribed social status ascribed to people, regardless of their abilities.This status can be inherited, and sometimes prescribe it to people for no apparent reason.It can be congenital, or may be acquired.A striking example of congenital ascribed status - the caste system in India.Acquired ascribed status - age seed position etc.
