Achieved status refers to a social position that an individual attains as a result of personal choices, actions, or accomplishments, such as becoming a doctor or graduating from college. In contrast, ascribed status is assigned at birth or involuntarily acquired, often based on characteristics like race, gender, or family background, such as being a daughter or a member of a particular ethnic group. Both statuses can influence an individual's identity and social interactions throughout their life.
A person can hold multiple statuses simultaneously, which can be categorized into ascribed, achieved, and master statuses. Ascribed statuses are those assigned at birth, such as ethnicity or gender, while achieved statuses are acquired through personal choices and actions, like education or occupation. Master statuses are the most significant in defining an individual’s identity and can overshadow other statuses. These statuses interact and influence social roles, relationships, and self-perception.
A true statement about social statuses is that they can be both ascribed and achieved. Ascribed statuses are those assigned at birth, such as race, gender, or family background, while achieved statuses are acquired through individual actions and accomplishments, like education or career success. These statuses can influence a person's identity, social interactions, and access to resources within society. Additionally, social statuses often intersect, creating complex dynamics in social stratification.
An individual's ascribed status, such as race, gender, or socio-economic background, can influence the opportunities they have for achieving success in society. Factors like discrimination, stereotypes, and access to resources can impact an individual's ability to attain their desired achieved status, as they may face barriers or biases based on their ascribed characteristics. These societal dynamics demonstrate how one's ascribed status can play a significant role in shaping their achieved status.
No, ascribed statuses are based on attributes that are assigned to individuals at birth or are fixed and unchangeable throughout their life. These statuses are typically associated with factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, and social class, rather than talents, abilities, or actions.
Examples of ascribed statuses include being born into a royal family, having a certain ethnicity or race, or being male or female at birth. These statuses are typically assigned to individuals without their choice or effort.
Statuses and roles are interconnected concepts in sociology that help define an individual's position within a social structure. A status refers to the social position a person occupies, which can be ascribed (assigned at birth) or achieved (earned through actions). Roles are the behaviors, responsibilities, and expectations associated with a given status. Together, statuses and roles shape individual identity and influence social interactions, as people navigate their roles based on the statuses they hold.
In Botswana, ascribed status—such as ethnicity, family background, and gender—can significantly influence an individual's achieved status, which encompasses personal accomplishments like education and career success. For instance, individuals from well-respected families may have better access to resources and networks that facilitate educational and employment opportunities. Conversely, those from marginalized groups may face systemic barriers, limiting their ability to attain higher achieved statuses. Ultimately, the interplay between ascribed and achieved status shapes social mobility and the overall socioeconomic landscape in Botswana.
Ascribed is what you are doing to get to a specified status. Achieved would mean you have done all required to obtain that status.
The two major building blocks of social structure are roles and statuses. Roles refer to the expected behaviors and responsibilities associated with a particular position within society, while statuses are the social positions individuals occupy, which can be ascribed (assigned at birth) or achieved (earned through actions). Together, these elements help shape social interactions and the organization of society.
Ascribed role of status is something that comes to you as a result of inheritance. In contrast achieved role or status is something that comes to you because of what you have done or accomplished.
The way in which people get own statuses can vary significantly in detail from culture to culture. In all societies, however, they are either achieved or ascribed. Achieved statuses are ones that are acquired by doing something. For instance, someone becomes a criminal by committing a crime. A soldier earns the status of a good warrior by achievements in battle and by being brave. A woman becomes a mother by having a baby. She also can acquire the status of widow by the death of her husband. In contrast, ascribed statuses are the result of being born into a particular family or being born male or female. Being a prince by birth or being the first of four children in a family are ascribed statuses. We do not make a decision to choose them--they are not voluntary statuses. We do not pick the family we are born into nor do we usually select our own gender.Bill Clinton rose from relative poverty to the Presidency of the United States. His life exemplifies the national ideal of a "self-made man". In contrast, his daughter was accorded special treatment while he was in the White House because of her ascribed status as the child of a president.5 (http://anthro.palomar.edu/status/stat_2.htm)Both achieved and ascribed statuses exist in all societies. However, some cultures choose to emphasize the importance of one or the other. In North America today, achieved statuses outside of the family are reinforced while ascribed ones are generally rejected. Children are encouraged from an early age to be independent and self-reliant. They are told to better themselves in life. This can be seen in the admiration of "self-made people" and in the somewhat negative image in the mass media of people who are rich only because they inherited it. This strong cultural bias has led to the enactment of anti-nepotism laws for government jobs. These make it a crime to hire and promote people because they are your relatives. In addition, the North American emphasis on achieved status has led to an acceptance and encouragement of social class mobility and a rejection of gender and ethnicity based restrictions. Children are taught in school from an early age that, despite the fact that they may be from a poor family, male or female, they should aspire to get a good education, better themselves and their family economically, and even become a leader in society.therefore status and roles are two elements of social structre.
Social class divides people according to income, education ,and occupational prestige. Each of us receives ascribed statuses at birth; later we add achieved statuses. Our behaviors and orientations are further influenced by the roles we play, the groups to which we belong, and our experiences with social institutions. These components work together to help maintain social order. - Henslin, 2010, pp 97-102 Sociology a down to earth approach.