Lesson : Social Role Theory

➢ Social work’s focus on concern is social functioning which result

person-situation interaction. Because person-situation interaction involves
role performance (which is why social functioning is also seen as the sum
of the roles performed by the individual, it is important that the social
worker has a basic understanding of role theory and its related concepts.
➢ Role Theory help women understand and use systems theory, since the
structure of a system is described as a network of roles.
➢ Role- refers to the socially expected behaviors prescribed for a person
occupying a particular status or position in a social sytem.
➢ Social norms- provide guides for the attitudes, feelings and behavior that
are permitted, expected, or prohibited for the individual in a given role.
➢Social Role Theory
• It is a social psychological theory that pertains to sex differences and
similarities in social behavior.
• Its key principle is that differences and similarities arise primarily from
the distribution of men and women into social roles within their society (
Alice H. Eagly, Wendy Wood, 2016).
• It argues that mate preferences are based on cultural expectations.
That is, in each culture, there are generally held expectations for ideal
male and female mates. Such expectations, or social roles, are shaped
by the values of a society, which in turn are shaped by various
constraints.
Gender stereotype is a generalised view or preconception about
attributes, or characteristics that are or ought to be possessed by
women and men or the roles that are or should be performed by men
and women. It can be both positive and negative.
• Alice Eagly's (1987) social
role theory argues that
widely shared gender
stereotypes develop from the
gender division of labor that
characterizes a society.
• Alice Eagly is a social
psychologist who has spent
a large portion of her career
studying the differences
between men and women.
• Benefit: Social roles have
led to gender equality.
Concepts Relating
to Role:
1. Status- refers to one’s
or standing in a group
based on the kind of job
he holds.
Concepts Relating
to Role:
2. Norms- refers to rules
and standards of
behavior that come from
a group or society, and
may apply to individuals
or to groups.
Concepts Relating
to Role:
3. Role set or role
clusters- an array of
roles thatt any one
person may be
occupying at any
particular time.
 Concepts Relating
to Role:
4. Role Complementarity
or Reciprocity- role
positions are usually paired,
e.g. parent-child. The
theory is that some
reciprocity of expectations
between role partners is
needed in a sytem to enjoy
some stability and
integration.
 Concepts Relating
to Role:
5. Role Conflict- this
occurs when there are
conflicting
expectations because
the person occupies
two or more positions
simultaneously.
Concepts Relating
to Role:
6. Role Incongruity- a
situation in which one’s
own perception of one’s
role is defined differently
from the expectation of
significant others in the
system or the
environment.
Lesson Summary:
➢ Eagly's social role theory of gender differences
• It seeks to explain why males are more likely to engage in specific
behaviors and why females gravitate towards others.
• The theory proposes that the societal divisions of labor for males and
females stemmed from physical differences between men and
women.
➢ Role and its related concepts are part of the knowledge base useful to
social workers in assessment and intervention planning.
➢ Gender roles were defined by that society with the behaviors and
attitudes expected of man and women.
 Some References:
• https://www.scholars.northwestern.edu/en/publications/social-role-
theory-of-sex-differences
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/social-role-theory
• https://study.com/academy/lesson/eaglys-social-role-theory-of-gender-
differences-definition-lesson-quiz.html
• https://www.bing.com/images/search.

Group 1 Members:
• Bagto, Sherriecon Kimpaoy, Friendlene
• Belingon, Kine Sally, Gleacyl
• Cami-ing, Charie
• Esco, Dexie