NMAT Social Sciences Practice Test

Roles define the behavioral expectations attached to a social position. A status is the position someone occupies in society, but what guides how that person should act are the roles linked to that position—the duties, rights, and norms expected in that context. So when we consider the behavior expected of someone with a given status, we’re looking at the social role associated with that status. For example, the role of a parent includes caring for the child, providing guidance, and setting boundaries; the role of a student includes attending classes and completing assignments; the role of a teacher includes preparing lessons and assessing students. The other terms describe the position itself (social status), a status that is earned (achieved status), or the most salient identity in a situation (master status), none of which specify the patterned behaviors tied to the position in the way a social role does.