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?
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).
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?
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.

1. An ascribed status is the status that is automatically given to you at birth such as being
asian. Achieve status would be working hard on personal goals such as becoming a
doctor. These two status shapes how we choose what norms and values to follow in our
culture. For someone these statuses can make them value education very highly and
makes me feel a sense of success. Reference groups are groups that we are influenced
by to try and fit in. The all have some sort of standards for their values and beliefs. In our
society reference groups is a way for us to compare ourselves to what we aspire to be.
On campus the clubs are reference groups that influences others to join their interests.
(Raymond Fong)

2. A social role is meant by the role individuals play in a society. For example, when youre
meeting someone for the first time, you want to give off a good impression so you act a
certain way. Society can affect your social role by influencing the way you act or the
reputation you make of yourself. Some social roles in someones life could be the way
they act in front of their family members vs. how they act with their friends. A way
someone can violate his or her role is by not portraying themselves normally. Roles are
violated when one acts upon another role. In the socialization process, you learn new
values, and behaviors from other cultures. In order to go through a role exit, you have to
go through the socialization process. A role exit is a change of identity because you have
established a new one from the socialization process. In a primary group, the individual
has an intimate, face to face relationship with others. For example, the relationship
someone has with their family and environmental associations. A secondary group is a
large, less intimate group. For example, a committee organized to plan a school dance.
These groups are typically found at work and school. (Yvonne Phung)

3. In-group is a group of people who think they have more power than others, while
out-group is a category of people who think they do not fit in. For instance,
an in-group category would be a cheerleader and the out-group would be a geek. In-
group is connected to primary group because it is a long term relationship. One of the
example is a team, they care about each other and they think like if they were a family.
Meanwhile, out-group is connected to secondary group because they do not show
emotions and it is just temporary. This group is more formal and impersonal, and they
only think about their own self. (Jessa Flores)

4a. Family: Fulfills the requirement of biological and social reproduction. Having children, and
teaching them culture to survive. Families also provide care and protection to each other.

Education: Teaches formal culture that is necessary for individuals to become members of the
larger society. This includes formal subjects such as math, English, science, but also interaction
outside of family. Also important for people entering the larger society as it gives them life skills,
and direct job skills to further economy, religion or government.

Religion: Establishes beliefs and practices by answering questions about meaning of life, and
enforces personal and collective discipline.

Economy: This regulates production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Can
create motivation and goals within people. Can help to establish connections with other
societies through trade.

Government: Establishes laws, justice, and regulations for a society. This helps maintain internal
balance of a society by further enforcing a collective discipline. Government also helps to
establish connections with different societies through diplomacy. Serves as protection for a
society through military, police, fire, and medical. (Nathan Rucker)
4b. Mechanical Solidarity was a form of group cohesion that was based on common knowledge,
skills and experiences. These societies operated like machines performing the same tasks
over time. Typically, grandparents, parents, and children would all work the or experience the
same things i.e. a family of blacksmiths, farmers, carpenter. These individuals think and operate
with shared values and perception.
Organic Solidarity is a form of social cohesion that divides labor up drastically. Each individual
performing a very specific, but necessary part working towards a vital function. These individual
functions work much like a clock, there are many pieces involved, and they are all vital to make
the clock work. (Tsubasa Shimoyama)