Achieved Status Versus Ascribed Status in Sociology

Achieved Status Versus Ascribed Status in Sociology Status is a term that is used often in sociology. Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of status, achieved status and ascribed status. Each can refer to ones position, or role, within a social system- child, parent, pupil, playmate, etc.- or to ones economic or social position within that status.   Individuals usually hold multiple statuses at any given time- lawyers, say, who happen to devote most of their time to pro bono work instead of rising through the ranks at a prestigious law firm. Status is important sociologically because we attach to ones position a certain set of  presumed  rights, as well as presumed obligations and expectations for certain behaviors. Achieved Status An achieved status is one that is acquired on the basis of merit; it is a position that is earned or chosen and reflects a persons skills, abilities, and efforts. Being a professional athlete, for example, is an achieved status, as is being a lawyer, college professor, or even a criminal. Ascribed Status An ascribed status, on the other hand, is beyond an individuals control. It is not earned, but rather is something people are either born with or had no control over. Examples of ascribed status include sex, race, and age. Children usually have more ascribed statuses than adults, since they do not usually have a choice in most matters. A familys social status or socioeconomic status, for instance, would be an achieved status for adults, but an ascribed status for children. Homelessness might also be another example. For adults, homelessness often comes by way of achieving, or rather not achieving, something. For children, however, homelessness is not something they have any control over. Their economic status, or lack thereof, is entirely dependent on their parents actions. Mixed-Status The line between achieved status and ascribed status is not always black and white. There are many statuses that can be considered a mixture of achievement and ascription. Parenthood, for one. According to the latest numbers gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 50 percent of pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned, which makes parenthood for those people an ascribed status. Then there are people who achieve a certain status because of an ascribed status. Take Kim Kardashian, for example, probably the most famous  reality television celebrity in the world. Many people might argue that she would never have achieved that status if she had not come from a wealthy family, which is her ascribed status.  Ã‚   Status Obligations Probably the greatest set of obligations are conferred upon the status of parenthood.  First, there are biological obligations: Mothers are expected to care for themselves and their unborn child (or children, in the case of twins, etc.) by abstaining for any activity that could cause either of them harm. Once a child is born, a host of legal, social, and economic obligations kick in, all with the purpose of ensuring that parents act in a responsible manner toward their children. Then there are professional status obligations, like doctors and lawyers whose vocations bind them to certain oaths governing their client relationships. And socioeconomic status obligates those who have achieved a certain high level of economic status to contribute portions of their wealth to help the less fortunate in society.

Flowers fo Algernon essays

Flowers fo Algernon essays This book was very confusing in the beggining.BeforeI read a book I usally skim Through it real fast.When I skimmed through this one,I saw a whole bunch of spellingerrors,and it didn't have a summary on the back of the bookto tell you what it's about. I soon learned it was about a retarded adult namedCharlie Gordon,writing to his doctor,Dr Stauss.Dr.Stauss is experimenting on him to make him be smarter.Charlie works at bakery,as a janitor.He thinks he has alot of freinds their,butthey really are just making fun of him.Charlie just doesn't know.He hopes to be smart some day,just like the other kids,so he doesn't hesitate for a moment to cooperatein a radical experiment to increase his intellegence. Algernon is a mouse that Charlie is amazed at the tasks he can perform.He is also very supersticious. As days go by,Charlie starts to make more and morecorrections in his writing.He also gets more mad at Algernon,because he keeps beating Charlie in all the tests.He later starts to notice how beatiful Alice Kinnian is.He can't get her off his mind.She likes May 20th,he got fired from his job,but the Welberg Foundation has begunpaying him a salary out of grant so he doesn't have to go looking for a job.His sister isn't very nice to him. His qoute,"Listen,the best of them have been smug and patronizing-using me to make themselves superior and secure in their own limitations.Anyone can feel intelligent besides a moron." October 5th was the day when Charlie snapped.He told Dr.Stauss he didn't want to take these tests anymore.He even ripped apart the white binder with alot of information.The tests made him so much smarter,now he's loosing it.He starts making more errors in his writing.He lost alot of his knowledge.Algernon died at the end of the story. ...