1. How do ascribed and achieved statuses serve to identify who a person is in a culture?

What
are reference groups? How are reference groups experienced in society?

Ascribed status is the social status given to a person at birth. It is a position that is not
achieved or chosen but a status one has no control over. For example, sex or race would be
ascribed status- one cannot choose what race or sex they come into the world as but are given
that status based on their physical features and descent. Achieved status is the position one
attains based on their personal ability and merit. Achieved status is the position we earn and
can build upon it. Its something one works towards Achieved status reflects a person's skills,
efforts, abilities, and merit in which they build their life and climb up a social ladder that
society has provided. Achieved status can range from a police officer, a judge, a college
professor, a scientist, a criminal, etc. In a culture an ascribed and achieved status could affect
the way people act towards one another and the way way the community is built.
Reference groups are groups that people compare themselves to. Reference groups
could also be known as peer groups, where people look at their friends, family, and
schoolmates- basically those around them- to compare themselves to. People will compare
themselves based on appearances, personalities, interests, hobbies, etc. Reference groups
could also be famous people where people look at their actions and works and refer to them
when speaking or doing anything. For example, a reference group could be Kobe Bryant and
his performance and achievements in the NBA- someone can look at that and think thats
how they want to play basketball and try to gain the same skills as him. Reference groups are
to help guide behavior, attitude, and display social norms to society- help people understand
what skills they want or gear themselves towards, but also help people identify what a person
wants to avoid. (Sana Aslam)

2. What is a social role (give examples)? How does one violate his or her role? What is
meant by role exit? And how does role exit relate to the socialization process? Distinguish
between primary and secondary groups (give examples).

Social role is the part individuals in a society play. The more social roles one adopts,
the more that person adapts to different attitude or behavior to fit the expectations of the role.
Social roles change depending on the group of interaction. For example, the role of a
daughter in society is different than the role of a co-worker, however one person can play
both roles. Each group in society has set rules for behavior and each person in that group has
a role to fill following the expectations of behavior. An example being, the way I act at
school is different than the way I act when Im at home or when Im at the store or hanging
out with friends and family. One violates their social role when they dont act according to
the rules of that group or when they stray away from that group. One example is when you go
to work- you go to work in a nice outfit, probably a button up shirt with a blazer and slacks,
however if you show up in a tank top, shorts, and flip flops people are going to think that you
have no idea what you are doing or why you are showing up to work like that. It looks
completely unprofessional, therefore when you dont follow the rules of the workplace you
look out of place and youre violating the rules. Role exit is when an individual stops
participating in groups they were in before and establishes a new role. Role exit is when
someone is basically leaving part of their identity to start a new one with different rules and
their process of socialization begins again. A primary group is a small group of people that
engage in interaction face to face and emotionally. This group is generally made up of family,
friends, significant others, and people we like to surround ourselves with. Its the group of
people you open up to and find yourself being the most comfortable around. Secondary
groups are more formal and impersonal. These groups are more task based and goal oriented
as opposed to primary groups. This group is filled with people you wouldnt normally
associate with but due to certain situations you are put together. An example of secondary
groups would be an office- working alongside co-workers. (Sana Aslam)

3. What is meant by in-group and out-group? How is in-group connected to primary group?
How is out group connected to secondary group?

In-group is a group of a category of people who share a common identity and sense of
belonging, a good example the book gives us will be a high teenage clique. On the other
hand, an out-group can be identified as those of who do not fit into a group, or they do not
belong to a certain group. The in-groups often feel differentiate from the out-group due to the
fact that they think they are more superior than the out-group ones, and they see themselves
better than the people in out-group. The in-group is connected to the primary group because
primary group often requires intimates and face-to-face associations, this may request them to
work together and be more involved, which connects back to the idea of an in-group.
Moreover, peoples relationships in a primary group is often longer than secondary group,
and this corresponds to the point where in-group members often feel differentiate from out-
group people because they have a stronger connection and bond between members. The out-
group is connected to the secondary group because a secondary group is often formal and
temporary with a short duration. The secondary group does require group members build up
strong relationships in order to function, which can be views as a group of out-group people.
(Weiming Zhan)

4. What are the five functional prerequisites that a society must satisfy if it is to survive?
Describe the differences between organic and mechanical solidarity.

The five major social institutions that a society must satisfy if it is to survive are
family, education, religion, economy, and government. Family contributes the function of
biological reproducing, nurturing, and socializing. Education offers the function of
instructing the youth with societys skills and knowledge. Religion provides the society moral
guidance such as establishing clear identity by answering basic questions about meaning.
Economics regulates the societys production, distribution, and consumption of goods and
services. Last but not least, government is capable of often maintaining societys internal
order by enforcing the law and policing. Mechanical Solidarity and Organic Solidarity are
both social cohesion concepts developed by mile Durkheim. The Mechanical Solidarity is a
social cohesion that requires members to have common values or share same beliefs. On the
other hand, Organic solidarity emphasizes the case where the members are depended on
specialization of work and skills for one anothers service. In a society characterized by
Mechanical Solidarity, Members are united and working together towards the same objective.
In contrast, in a society characterized by Organic Solidarity, members have a greater division
of labor, and all members with different functions are relying on each other in order to
achieve their goal. (Weiming Zhan)