Societal Values and Norms, Ethnocentrism - Essay Example

Class inequality is an inherent part of society. Society is stratified based on social class, where each social class has varying access to resources. Social classes are defined on the basis of statuses within society. The student is correct to some extent because all people have opportunities. However, the number of opportunities available for each class differs. Consequently, those in a higher stratum of the social structure have more advantage compared to those at the base of the social structure in that they have plenty of opportunities compared with the latter. Moreover, statuses can either be ascribed or achieved. Ascribed status is that which an individual can never escape from ascribed status. As such, one can work hard to achieve a higher social rank within a group or society, but that does not separate him or her from his ascribed status.
Q3. Ethnocentrism maintains order within society. It promotes group solidarity because it makes people believe that their ways are superior to those of other groups (Andersen and Taylor 67). It creates a high level of loyalty among group members, promoting the spirit of comradeship. Ethnocentrism discourages cooperation between different groups within the society. By emphasizing that a group’s ways are superior to others, it hampers interaction between members of separate groups. Positive ethnocentrism is an obstacle to change because it perpetuates the status quo (Andersen and Taylor 67). Ethnocentrism promotes racial tension in society (Andersen and Taylor 68). Nonetheless, conflict within the society drives social change, thus ethnocentrism is a crucial social change agent.
Q4. People have different relationships in their lives. Every relationship is guided by specific rules distinct from other types of relationships. The type of a relationship will dictate how the parties to the relationship are expected to behave towards each other. The rules that direct behavior in a romantic relationship are quite distinct from those that dictate a relationship between family members. Therefore, as Ferdinand Tönnies mentions, the type of a relationship determines the rules of the principles that direct the relationship.
Q5. Roles: These refer to the anticipations on behavior performances attached to a particular social status within a social institution. Roles determine the statuses of people within a social institution.
Statuses: a status refers to one’s social rank within a given social structure. Status is synonymous with the role. People can have different statuses at the same time. Statuses are sets of people within an institution. Status can be achieved or ascribed. Achieved status is outside accomplishments by individuals, while ascribed status is acquired by virtue of birth and cannot be avoided. A person can occupy a master status, the highest perceived status. Statuses are indicated by a status symbol.
Groups: Institutions contain primary and secondary groups. Primary groups are those that a person spends most of his or her time with. Primary groups are identified by the personal relationship between members. A secondary group is that characterized by impersonal relationships.
Social structures: Roles and statuses make up social structures. Social structures are thus extensions of roles and statuses on individuals within a social institution.