Society, Roles, and Status – Lecture Vocabulary

These flashcards review key sociological vocabulary—such as Gemeinschaft, Gesellschaft, status, and role concepts—discussed in the lecture.

Gemeinschaft

A type of community marked by close-knit personal relationships, strong kinship ties, and shared traditions, typical of small, pre-industrial societies.

Gesellschaft

A form of social organization characterized by impersonal, contractual, and goal-oriented relationships, common in large, modern, urban societies.

Proletariat

In Marxist theory, the working class who do not own the means of production and must sell their labor to survive.

Ideology

A system of beliefs, values, and ideas that explains or justifies social arrangements and often supports the interests of particular groups.

Status

A recognized social position an individual occupies within a group or society, carrying specific expectations and privileges.

Ascribed Status

A social position assigned at birth or involuntarily later in life (e.g., age, sex, race) over which the individual typically has little control.

Achieved Status

A social position that is earned or chosen on the basis of personal effort, skills, or accomplishments (e.g., college graduate, manager).

Role

The set of expected behaviors, obligations, and privileges attached to a particular status.

Role Conflict

Stress or tension arising from competing demands of two or more statuses held by the same person (e.g., being both a parent and a full-time employee).

Role Strain

Stress experienced when incompatible demands are built into a single status (e.g., a team leader balancing support and discipline within one role).