Social statuses and roles, social prestige

Each person in the society simultaneously acts in several roles. At home we can be parents or children, at work - subordinates, in the store - by buyers. Social status is the place of a person in society, in a hierarchical structure, which is related to the position of other people.

Since each person simultaneously has several statuses, sociologists have introduced a generalizing concept of "status set". This set includes the totality of the statuses of a particular person. For example, Petrovsky L. (36 years old) is at the same time: the son of his parents, his father for his son, his husband, his family and cousin, the driver of the car, the head of the sales department, the buyer in the shops, etc. In each status set, there is a major status with which the person identifies. It is this status that determines his way of life, the circle of communication, the manner of behavior. For L. Petrovsky this is the head of the department. The majority of people also identify themselves mainly on professional grounds.

Types of social statuses are heterogeneous. Some are immutable, others change during life, and, not always by the will of man. Social statuses can be:

• Born;
• Acquired or achieved;
• Prescribed or attributed.

The natural social statuses are nationality, gender, race. Sometimes there are innate statuses that can change. For example, a member of the royal family can lose status if the monarchy turns into another kind of state.

Acquired social statuses are changed and formed throughout the life on the basis of the abilities of the individual, its aspirations, competition. For example, a successful or unsuccessful student, a chain of subordinates - a boss - a major leader, etc.

It is these acquired statuses that are most often associated with the notion of social prestige. Social prestige is the importance that social consciousness attributes to different aspects of people's lives. High social roles (leaders, politicians, well-off people, etc.) are considered prestigious. Sometimes prestige does not depend on personal effort. For example, beauty is considered prestigious. However, this innate quality can be changed. Today, there are many beauty institutions in which you can change your appearance, adjust it to any current image today. And the appearance, corresponding to fashion trends, and the very possibility of doing expensive plastic surgery in society is considered prestigious. People who work in large organizations (for example, Rosneft, Gazprom, large banks) have a high reputation. Traditions of jewelers, lawyers, doctors, etc. are considered prestigious. People who have such opportunities, professions have a high social prestige.

The concept of social prestige is closely connected with the concepts of authority, respect, social influence. The desire for high social prestige is justified by the desire of the individual to assert himself, to achieve security, public respect. Prestige is nothing but a hierarchy of statuses recognized by society, fixed in culture, established in public opinion. It's a kind of magnet. In the sphere of influence of the prestigious status there is a strong social tension, the most active, ambitious, prepared individuals are grouped there. The prestige of a high status greatly influences self-assertion and self-perception.

Prescribed social statuses are attributed to people, regardless of their abilities. Such a status can be inherited, and sometimes it is prescribed to people for no apparent reason. It can be congenital, and maybe also acquired. A vivid example of innate attributed statuses is the caste system in India. Acquired assigned status - age, seed, etc.