Running Head: Effects of Roles

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Latoria McCloud Effects of Roles Ottawa University

Running Head: Effects of Roles

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When youre in a group there are norms and roles that come along with it. A good way to explain this is using the term structure which is a systematic interrelation of all parts to the whole. Structure provides form and shape for a group. Norms are broad rules that designate appropriate behavior for all group members, while roles stipulate specific behaviors that are expected for individual group members. (Rothwell, 2010) There are different types of roles that can occur within a group there are role reversal, role status, role conflict, and role fixation. With these types of roles there can be a formal and informal approach to them, most of the time it can be hard to figure out when to be formal or informal or even know which is formal or informal. Im going to help you figure that out today knowing the difference between the formal and informal roles of each can help making sure you know what these roles mean. First is role reversal, the effects of role reversal can be seen in a dramatic way, this means stepping into a role distinctly different from or opposite of a role were accustomed to playing (Rothwell, 2010). Examples of role reversal would be student to teacher, child to parent, employee to employer and vice versa. The importance of the ability to take the role of the other for human communication and cooperation has also been stressed by theorists who have been concerned with ways of facilitating the resolution of intrapsychic, interpersonal, international conflict. (Muney, Deutsch, 1968) The reversal of roles can give you a better idea of what a person goes through on a day to day basic. This leads us into the next role which is role status which means the relative importance, prestige, or power accorded a particular role showed the power of role reversal. (Rothwell, 2010) The status of a person can be made from the current status of the person if they are a high power attorney they would describe their status as independent, rational, or an ambitious leader. Whereas if you are a just a maid or someone in a

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low status job you might be described as an emotional, submissive, or not as independent. These descriptions can go ever way for a man or woman, either way if you do a role reversal the description would change for the person. With these unusual roles it only makes since that there would be role conflict which means the effects of roles can be seen in another way. When we find ourselves playing roles in different groups that contradict each other, we experience role conflict. (Rothwell, 2010) Role conflict can be hard sometimes since you can be torn between the two, for example youre a student as well as parent, a career woman who has a family. Its hard to know when to choose to pick up or even put down a role. The last role we have is role fixation which means the acting out a specific role and that role along no matter what the situation might require. (Postman, 1976) This role is something that we see a lot in group projects or just in groups period. You have that person that is always the writer, or the speaker, the leader, or even the person that slacks behind. These are roles that you have and you are fixated with keeping because most of the time youve had these same roles from a previously group, you became comfortable with the role so you want to continue to try and receive that same role when going into other groups. I have given you some info on all the different types of roles from role reversal, role status, role conflict and role fixation. Now these can be used in formal and informal situations. Formal role is a position assigned by an organization or specifically designated by the group leader.(Rothwell, 2010) This could go with role status or even role fixation when in a formal setting you have had this role and it has been given to you so you know how to act accordingly. Informal role emerges from the group transactions and it emphasizes functions not positions. (Rothwell, 2010) This could be tied in with role reversal because this doesnt mean

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that you are in this role its your position but the function of the position you could be in. A lot of times we think of informal being something that could be embarrassing but thats not the case its just the opposite its something that we are not exactly in but at some point we want to be in.

Running Head: Effects of Roles References

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Muney, B. F., & Deutsch, M. (1968). The effects of role-reversal during the discussion of opposing viewpoints. Journal Of Conflict Resolution, 12(3), 345.

Rothwell, J. D. (2010). In mixed company. (8 ed.). Boston,MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning