Page 173 - Sociology and You

Chapter 5 Social Structure and Society
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Explain why the status of a lawyer is a master status.
Age, gender, race, and ethnicity are examples of ascribed master statuses. These statuses are master statuses because they significantly affect the likeli- hood of achieving other social statuses. When will the United States have a female president? Would you let a nineteen-year-old or a ninety-year-old han- dle your case in court? Or remove your appendix?
Section 1 Assessment
1. Briefly define the term social structure.
Match the definition with the type of status (a–d) it best describes.
Student Web Activity
Visit the Sociology and
You Web site at soc.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 5—Student Web Activities for an activity on social status.
2. wife, mother, author, church choir director
3. electrician, spouse
4. the presidency of the United States,
professional athlete
5. sex, gender, race
6. daughter, son
7. quarterback, coach, fan, trainer
Critical Thinking
a. ascribed status b. achieved status c. master status d. status set
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8. CategorizingInformation Onaseparatepieceofpaper,makea diagram of your life—the statuses you possess and the responsibilities or role expectations for each. Examples of statuses include son/daughter, student, band member, etc.
9. Applying Concepts What is the most important master status you have held? Has the master status helped or hindered you? What master status would you like to achieve? Why?
not generally be works of art unless the social order is also.
Our individual lives can-
Charles Horton Cooley American sociologist
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