A Sociological Analysis of Identity and Role Conflict

he Book for this assessment is please let me know if you can or cannot find a copy as the information we will be writing about will require this book: Khan, Shamus, Patrick Sharkey, and Gwen Sharp. 2024. A Sociology Experiment, 3rd Edition

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1. Formatting & Technicals (Non-Negotiable)

• Length: You must write at least 2.5 full pages, but do not exceed 3 pages. Anything less than 2.5 pages loses points immediately.
• The Header: Put the name James Biney in the “Header” section of the Word document (double-click the very top of the page). It must be “outside” the main body margin. Do not include the date, professor name, or class title.
• Title: Do not use “Social Structure Essay.” Create something creative like The Invisible Architecture: Navigating My Status Set in Modern Society.
• Font: 12-point, double-spaced.

2. The Thesis Paragraph (5 Points)

• Requirement: Do not just “introduce” the topic. You must provide a clear roadmap.
• Instruction: Write a paragraph that explicitly states you will be analyzing your ascribed and achieved statuses, the dilemma of the master status, the internal dynamics of a specific social institution, and the inevitable role conflicts that arise from these structures.

3. Definitions and Citations (Crucial for 40+ Points)

• Instruction: For every sociological term (Ascribed Status, Achieved Status, Master Status, Social Group, Social Role, Role Conflict), you must:

1. Provide a formal definition.
2. Include an in-text citation from the textbook: (Author, pg#). Note: Even if you paraphrase, you must cite the page number to hit the “Highly Competent” criteria.

4. Content Breakdown for “Highly Competent” Marks

Ascribed & Achieved Status (10 Points)

• Define both with citations.
• Provide at least three (3) clear examples of ascribed statuses (e.g., race, age, sex) and three (3) achieved statuses (e.g., college student, employee, athlete).
• Briefly explain why each fits the definition.

Master Status & The “Dilemma” (10 Points)

• Define Master Status with a citation.
• Identify yours.
• The Critical Part: You must discuss the “dilemma.” Contrast how you identify yourself versus how society/others might implicitly label you. Explain the sociological importance of this gap (e.g., how it affects your life chances or social interactions).

Social Group & Roles (20 Points)

• Pick one specific institution (e.g., your University or your workplace).
• Identify the social positions (statuses) within it and the corresponding roles (the behaviors expected of those statuses).
• Instruction: You must explain the relationship between these roles. Don’t just list them; explain how they interact to make the institution function.

Role Conflict (10 Points)

• Define Role Conflict with a citation.
• Provide a “compelling” personal example. For instance, describe a time your role as a Student (needing to study for an exam) conflicted with your role as an Employee (being called into a shift) or a Family Member.

5. The “So-What” Conclusion (10 Points)

• Instruction: Do not just summarize the paper.
• Reframe your findings. Address the “sociological significance”: explain how understanding these structures changes how we view human interaction. Your “take-away” should be that social structure isn’t just a list of labels, but a framework that dictates the flow of our daily lives.

6. Final Polish (5 Points)

• Transitions: Ensure every paragraph flows logically into the next (e.g., moving from the individual “status” to the broader “institution”).
• Grammar: Zero run-on sentences or spelling errors.
• No Outside Sources: Use only the textbook. If you use Google for a definition, you will likely lose points for “outside resources.”