SOCIETAL ROLES

AND
ETHNOCENTRISM
By Hasti Komala Wardani
1711204040
Societal Roles
 The Definition of Societal Roles

A societal role defines a set of behaviors that are expected of someone who holds a particular status.
Every status has an expected set of behaviors in a role.
Example: A woman becomes a mother when she has a child and so occupies the status of mother.
She is expected to also play the role of mother by caring for and loving her children.

Role expectations can change over time and also differ between cultures. Not long ago, it was a role expectations
for mothers to stay at home with their children and “keep house” while the fathers breadwinner.
Today in our culture, this still occurs but it is no longer a strict expectation of the mother’s role. In one culture,
it doesn’t matter if mother working outside home. However, in other cultures, a mother working outside the home i
s still considered to be strange or even unacceptable.

.
 Types of Societal Roles

1. Role Set

All of us typically occupy many statuses and play the roles attached to each one. Sometimes, a status has more tha
n one role associated with it. In sociology, this is known as a role set.

For example, a teacher plays one role in relation to his students, another role in relation on his fellow teachers,

another in relation to the school board on so on.

2. Role conflict: individual play different roles in different social institutions. When these roles come in conflict with one
another is known as role conflict. Suppose if the owner of an oil factory hires his friend to manage his business.

Due to his friend maladministration company profit declines. As a businessman or owner he ought to fire his

manager but as a friend he could not take away his friend livelihood.
 Types of Societal Roles

3. Role Strain: when individual is stressed out due to excessive responsibilities associated with his statuses withi
n different instructions of society is called role strain. Suppose a women many hold the status of teacher and

single mother with in a society. As a teacher at school her role expectations are to prepare and submit progres
s report to the school board, train new hired staff, prepare notes and teach students. Whereas, within institutio
n of family as a single mother; she is supposed to make lunch for her children, drop them to school, etc.

She might be stressed due to her overlapping roles and may not get enough time to manage both her social

and professional life. Which implies that, she is experiencing role strain.
 Types of Societal Roles

4. Role Exit: each individual plan to achieve a certain social status within a society, it might be to become
a lawyer, doctor or engineer. He starts preparing to achieve that status via anticipatory socialization.

However, after attaining desired status he may not get satisfaction and may decides to quiet his current
status and try to obtain new status. For the attainment of new status an individual has to perform new

roles as well as abandon old ones. Abandoning old roles and initiating new responsibilities is known as

role exit.

For example a lawyer may not be happy with his current job and want to join Private Corporation as a b
usiness; development officer. In order to attain new status he has to join business school and obtain pro
fessional degree in business administration. As well as, he has to quit his law practice or job.
Ethnocentrism
 The Definition of Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism is the process of judging another culture exclusively from

the perspective of one’s own.

Ethnocentric people compare their culture to others on such elements

as religion, behavior, language, customs, and norms.

The Causes of Ethnocentrism
Political culture
This is a fundamental factor
causing the emergence of
ethnocentrism, the political
culture of a society tends to
be traditional and irrational.
Communities involved in politics
often prioritize their own interests
ranging from ethnicity, religion an
d so on.
Plurality of the nation
Nations have a variety of
tribes, religions, and race.
With this plurality, many
problems can occur.
Every tribe, religion, race a
nd class seeks power and d
ominion over the others.
Positive Impact of Ethnocentrism:

1 Increase the spirit of patriotism

2 Maintain cultural integrity and stability

3 Increasing the love of the motherland

4 Maintain a sense of bother hood

Negative Impact of Ethnocentrism:

Cause social conflicts between tribes, religions, races and also groups
1 .

2 The emergence of various political streams

3 Inhibiting the process of assimilation and integration

 1. Bullying, mocking or avoiding friends who come from
Papua only because of their black skin and curly hair.

Example of 2. The Sampit tragedy, between Madurese and Dayak

tribes, where there was economic jealously between
Ethnocentrism Madurese as migrants and Dayak as indigeneous
people.

3. Carok behavior in Madura. Carok is an attempted

murder carried out by Madurese men when they
feel their pride is disturbed by others.
For outsiders who see this phenomenon, it might
be considered very brutal, but in fact for
Madurese it is considered very sacred.
Thank you