Life Status

An ascribed status is one that society assigns to an individual on the basis of factors over which the individual has no control. For example, we have no control over the sex, race, ethnic background, and socioeconomic status into which we are born. Similarly, we are assigned the status of "child," "teenager," "adult," or "senior citizen" on the basis of age--something we do not choose or control (CliffNotes). In analyzing my status at birth it would be female African-American, born into a working class family. I was also assigned the ascribed statuses of daughter, grand-daughter, sister and niece because of kinships. These statuses define our relationships with those around us. People can and do have many statuses at once because the statuses we occupy largely define our social identity.

An achieved status is assigned on the basis of some characteristic or behavior over which the individual has some control. Whether or not you achieve the status of college graduate, spouse, parent, bank president, or prison inmate depends largely on your own efforts, behavior, and choices. One's ascribed statuses may affect the likelihood of achieving other statuses, however. For example, if you are born into a poor socioeconomic status you may find it more difficult to achieve the status of "college graduate" because of the high cost of a college education. Achieved status is a concept denoting a social position that a person can acquire on the basis of merit; it is a position that is earned or chosen. It reflects personal skills, abilities, and efforts (SparkNotes). Some of my achieved statuses would be, friend, student, graduate, wife, mother, programmer, project leader, manager, and consultant. Every individual has numerous statuses simultaneously throughout their lives. My achieved status has often evolved and changed, mainly because I am always looking for new challenges.

Master status is a sociological term used to denote the social position, which is the primary identifying characteristic of an individual. It is defined as "a status that has exceptional importance for social identity, often shaping a person's entire life" The master status, whether ascribed or achieved, overshadows or dominates all other social positions of the status set in most or all situations (Schaefer). A person's master status is the status that is considered the most significant in a person's social identity. Typically, a person's occupational status is regarded as his or her master status. An individual's master status supersedes their other identifying traits and dominates the perception by others and their behavior towards them. My current master status is grand mom and student because these statuses are my main priority. Even though I work as a management consultant I do not consider this my master status because this job does