Social person - behavioral model of personality

What is the social status of an individual and a group? What types of statuses are there and how do social roles differ from them? What affects the status? How to maintain and improve it?

Let's understand this concept...

Social status of a person - what it is and what it means

• 1. The concept of social status 1.1. Types of statuses

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Concept of social status

Social status is the position a person occupies in the hierarchical structure of society and an indicator of his ability to influence his environment.
The status is based on the following factors:

• origin and family ties;
• floor;
• education;
• profession, occupation;
• Political Views;
• level of security;
• demographic features;
• hobbies;
• belonging to certain social groups;
• behavior.

Among a person’s statuses, one is always leading – the one that is paramount for him or her, or highlighted by others.
Most often it is associated with profession, beliefs or occupation. Attention!

A person’s status exists only in the process of comparing his position in society with the positions of others through a system of rights and responsibilities. You can characterize an individual by listing several of his statuses and presenting his status set: for example, Muscovite, student, Orthodox, master of sports.

Types of statuses

Statuses are divided into prescribed (obtained at birth) and achieved (obtained through human actions).

1. The first group includes race, gender, nationality and other characteristics inherited biologically, including statuses related to consanguinity. It can also include acquired status - a title received at birth, or a status that a person is endowed with a change in marital status, becoming a non-blood relative of the spouse's family.
2. The second group includes education, position, profession, qualifications. In developed democratic societies the percentage of achieved statuses is highest.

Pensioners are classified as a separate social status.
These individuals have little weight in society. However, in the history of Russia in the 21st century there are examples of the influence of this layer on the authorities, when people of retirement age together declared violations of their rights. Reference:

The status can be temporary, when a person acts as a spectator, passenger, patient, etc.
From the point of view of society, status is not a neutral concept; it is closely related to the idea of ​​prestige - the significance of the position of a particular individual.
The prestige of a person's social position influences his social position and is manifested through the roles that the individual plays in society. The individuality of a person as an individual - what is it?

Social person - definition and types of characters

Social behavior is based on attention to the lives of other people. This is a unique set of actions, the so-called form of life, which arises from self-sacrifice for the common good or for oneself. If we consider the highest aspect of social orientation, then this is love. This is a fundamental feeling that forms the basis of the life of a social person. Love can be directed towards a specific object or group of people without losing the main goal of development that determines the foundations of an individual's life. Also, people tend to be attached to other people and love for another person activates higher values.

A social person is an individual who has chosen for himself a unique line of behavior called social. This form of behavior occurs when the need to serve others becomes greater than other needs. The highest manifestation of a social person is love. If an individual person is the object of love, then this is called the center of values. The essence of love has not been fully explored, but we understand that it reveals the meaning of existence, which forces us to be better and develop in the right direction.

Among other people, a social person develops a certain set of character qualities. Psychologists have determined the method of a person’s adaptation to society - it is expressed in his character. If we divide behavioral models into several types, they can be classified. This allows us to determine the overall picture of a person’s actions in different situations.

What is a social role

By social role we mean expectations from a person, a series of actions that he must take to comply with his position in society.
The difference between a person’s social status and his social role lies in his activities, behavior, and actions. Each member of society is required to conform to his role, or model of behavior. This provides a comfortable level of trust, orderliness and predictability in relationships between people. A person must play his role and perform the associated responsibilities with integrity.

It is not permissible to go beyond the status image, so as not to damage your reputation in the eyes of society or a certain circle. Thus, a person unwittingly becomes a hostage to his own social role.

The performance of roles is subjective and varies depending on the personal qualities of the individual. The same leaders can be democratic, authoritarian, inconsistent, or fanatical formalists. Officials, law enforcement officers and doctors - both decent and dishonest.

And even parents raise children in different ways: from overprotection to complete permissiveness. And art knows examples of different embodiments of the same character by different actors, artists or writers using completely different expressive techniques.

Important!

The social role of a person during his life can change repeatedly in the direction of both increasing and decreasing status.
This is facilitated by age-related changes, luck, hard work, coincidence of circumstances, professional growth, changes in the type of activity, personal life events, loss of health and disability, social processes, and so on. There is also such a phenomenon as status incompatibility.
This happens when a person has different status in different social groups and plays different social roles. For example, in a society of like-minded people he is an authoritative person, but at work or in the family he does not meet with respect. Some, disillusioned with the ideas accepted in their circle, leave it, but cannot find a new environment or are on the verge of breaking with their previous environment. As a result, his way of life becomes more and more marginal: a person lives based on his own code and values, but at the same time he feels the incompatibility of his ideas with the way of society. This often leads to mental disorder. An extreme case of marginalization is the transformation of a person into a lumpen, a tramp, a declassed element.

The same thing happens when someone, wanting to climb the social ladder, finds himself as if isolated from a new team - among this public he is a stranger, out of place, despite his professionalism. As a result, his relationships with loved ones usually deteriorate.

Another classic example of status incompatibility is when a young mother tries to build a career, depriving her closest people of attention. First of all, the child and the emotional relationship with the husband suffer from this, which worsens the moral and psychological climate in the family.

Moral Sadist - Who is This in Psychology?

Let us highlight the main types of characters of a social person:

• Holistic. A social person creates stable relationships. It is characterized by good adaptability to conditions. A holistic personality has no internal conflicts, and his desires coincide with what he is doing at the moment. He communicates easily with people and quickly establishes relationships. This type of character has a will, and his actions are based on principles and ideals. He does not adapt to the principles of other people, but changes his reality according to his ideals - this is his fundamental type of adaptation to the social environment.
• Internally conflicted. This type of character is characterized by inconsistency of internal desires and actions. Outwardly, such a person may give the impression of a harmonious personality, but in reality he has difficulty coordinating his actions with the requirements of the environment. This type of personality is prone to impulsive actions, which such a person constantly restrains by willpower. The structure of relationship development for an individual of this type is stable, but it is difficult for him to communicate with other people. Internally conflicted people do not correlate their value system well with reality. There is a disconnect with the trends of the outside world. This discord is overcome by the method of psychological defense or tactical restructuring. If we consider this type of character in a positive way, then this is the image of a wise observer.
• Conflict. Characterized by reduced adaptation to the social environment. A person experiences a constant conflict between desires and responsibilities. His actions are impulsive and he often experiences negative emotions. Communication skills are undeveloped and self-awareness lacks structure. Connections with the outside world are random and often unplanned. The life of such a person is built on satisfying his needs here and now without making much effort. The last type of character has a psyche with a small amount of experience. They make plans for the future and try not to remember the past. Such a person is not seasoned in the struggle for existence. The reason for this behavior may be hyperprotection in childhood from parents or surrounding people. They are infantile and cannot overcome the difficulties of life. Any difficult situation is perceived as a danger to health, and if a difficult situation arises, he plunges into a fantasy world, begins to be stubborn or capricious.
• Variable. Such a person is well adapted to the environment, but his life position is unstable. There are no principles, and the level of personal development is low. Behavior can be different - from capricious to peaceful. Such people have no character and are constantly adapting. Behavior is very flexible and changes frequently. The inner world is extremely simplified, and the struggle for a place in the sun is carried out according to a simple strategy. They see only external obstacles and achieve their goals by any means necessary. Their main life goal is to achieve as much immediate benefits as possible. The inner world is adjusted to external circumstances.

The above-described types of people's characters are described by the philosopher and psychologist E. Spranger.

Social status of the group

There is a concept of group status, where not an individual, but a group acts as a social unit.
Members of such associations voluntarily support collective internal goals and standards and act within established rules. There is an opportunity for participants to stand out within the group itself through personal merit. The activities of some associations are aimed at preserving their identity and achieving an approved status: these are religious denominations, trade unions, national diasporas and some informal movements.

Other communities are focused on outward activities and popularization. The desire of individuals to increase their status, achieve their goals and occupy a higher position leads to their association with like-minded people. This makes it possible to act more effectively and lobby for your interests. Examples include volunteer, humanitarian, cultural, creative and environmental movements.

Profession and character of a person: feedback

The importance of human development as a social unit

Without development and integrity, a person cannot become a full-fledged member of society. If his orientation does not coincide with the general orientation of society, then he will be in constant conflict with himself and other members of the group. To achieve balance, it is important to pay attention to the development of the spiritual aspect of society. Each of us strives to form a holistic personality, since this type of character allows us to better cope with difficulties and grow.

If society develops in a balanced manner, then no geographical features of the territory can affect the development of society for the worse. Life will be possible even in the extreme north or desert. The correct orientation of society leads to the correct technological progress.

Examples from life

Concluding the conversation about social status and social role, let's consider several situations related to a change in position in society.

Workers and peasants of the USSR

As a result of the October Revolution in Russia, the status of workers and peasants as an exploited class was replaced by the status of a ruling class.
Workers and peasants became the masters of the young state, and tsarism and the bourgeoisie lost their position as a privileged stratum and were expelled from the country or physically destroyed. But after a few decades, a new class was formed: the military, political and intellectual elite, then the creative intelligentsia and show business. They possessed financial and intellectual power, connections and other attributes of high status, unlike workers and peasants, and displaced them from the top of the social pyramid.

Megxit

Having become the wife of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle received the status of a member of the royal family and the title of Duchess of Sussex.
But after the birth of the heir, the Duke and Duchess officially refused to give him the title of prince. And a year later, they themselves renounced their titles (and, accordingly, the status of members of the royal family and pretenders to the throne), decided to leave England and work in the USA, maintaining their acquired status as professionals, parents and public figures.

GreenPeace

Animal protection and environmental movements have never been a priority, since in general humanity has not yet fully recognized the importance of the “green” movement.
Over time, the association of thousands of volunteers, due to their numbers and public resonance, gained the ability to influence producers of goods and services, consumer interest, legislative bodies and even political decisions of authorities in many countries of the world.

But it would still be wrong to consider this association prestigious, since most of its participants do not receive direct material benefits.

Typology of the individual

Through the system of upbringing and education, taking into account the requirements of society, a social type of personality begins to form. Sociology believes that personality is what connects mental processes and gives behavior stability and consistency. The following theories played an important role in the structuring of the type: psychobiological (W. Sheldon), biosocial (G. Allport, K. Rogers), psychostatic (D. Eysenck, R. Cattell), psychosocial (K. Horney, K. Adler).

There are different typologies. For example, M. Weber based his system on the degree of rationality of action. E. Fromm, defining the social type of personality, divides it into receptive, accumulative, exploitative, and market.

Today in sociology it is customary to distinguish the following types of individual:

1. Traditionalist. The main values ​​of such a person are duty, order, and discipline. She lacks the desire for self-realization.
2. Idealist. The type rejects traditions, is independent, does not recognize authorities. He often engages in self-development.
3. Frustrated. The individual has low self-esteem and often complains about health and depression.
4. Realist. People belonging to this type are responsible, control their emotions, and engage in self-realization.
5. Hedonist. Most often, such a person strives to obtain pleasure and achieve his desires.

Social and psychological personality types are also distinguished:

1. "Activists". For representatives of this type, the main task is to change other people and themselves. They are active, self-sufficient, responsible.
2. "Thinkers". An example of this type is the image of a sage, who is called upon to reflect and observe.
3. "Emotional". This includes individuals who rely on feelings, emotions, and intuition. These are bright, creative individuals who can appreciate beauty.
4. "Humanists". This type has very developed empathy. He perfectly senses a person’s state of mind.

Of course, the most common type of personality is a mixed social one. We can say that within every person there lives a sage, an activist and a humanist.

Let's summarize the above

The social status of a person has a number of patterns.
Its formation is influenced by objective unconditional and conditional factors. It imposes certain restrictions on the owner and obliges him to take appropriate actions in a particular social role. Every person has a status from birth and, depending on the circumstances of his life, can change. A group of people can also have status; its social role is subject to the same rules as that of an individual.

Dear readers, we would be interested to hear your opinion.

Mozhaeva Taisiya Apr 01, 2020

Conclusion

At the beginning of the article we talked about love as the basis of the behavior of a social person. Compassion, mercy and mutual assistance will contribute to the development of each individual. The balance of spiritual and material can lead society to prosperity. It is important to continue to develop in order to grow from a consumer into a social person who leads a reasonable social life. The essence of a community member must coincide with the purpose of the entire group, if that purpose is noble. It is important to continue to improve the level of education of society and achieve the integrity of both the individual and the entire society.