Necessary to understand society is the comprehensive understanding of social structure (macrosociology) and social interaction (microsociology) (Henslin, Gelnday, Duffy, & Pupo 2007, p. ). Central to this essay is the shaping of identity, and the influence that both social structure and social interaction retain throughout the formation of individual identity. This essay will highlight the complex, and often subtle combination of social structure and social interaction as shapers of individual identity in balanced environments as well as the potential for social structure to act as the sole influence in identity development in autocratic environments.
Identity develops continuously throughout the lifetime and is sociologically explained as …show more content…
6). Social structure is the meaningful “patterned relationships between people that persist over time” (Henslin et al. 2007, p. ). Components of social structure include; culture, socio-economic status or class, social status, roles, groups, organisations and institutions (Henslin et al. 2007, p. ). Considerable overlap exists between role and group identities and both are directly related to social structure and it is the meaningfulness of roles and groups that invokes influence on identity (Burke 2004, p. …show more content…
a mother (role) in a group of women or a team captain (role) in a sporting club) (Burke 2004, p. 9). When holding a particular position, people tend to perform (their role) in a way that matches the performance of others, and this in turn verifies the performance and creates meaning (Burke 2004, p. 9).
Participating in specific groups or organizations (e.g. sporting clubs, school and the workplace) or considering oneself as belonging to particular categories (e.g. gender, race etc.) creates a group identity. A group identity is the knowledge of a meaningful membership to a group or category. Group specific behaviours and attitudes are reinforced through acceptance, recognition and approval by other group members (Burke 2004, p. 9). This increases the value of such behaviours and attitudes and encourages the matching of identity to structure (Burke 2004, pp.
Identity develops continuously throughout the lifetime and is sociologically explained as …show more content…
6). Social structure is the meaningful “patterned relationships between people that persist over time” (Henslin et al. 2007, p. ). Components of social structure include; culture, socio-economic status or class, social status, roles, groups, organisations and institutions (Henslin et al. 2007, p. ). Considerable overlap exists between role and group identities and both are directly related to social structure and it is the meaningfulness of roles and groups that invokes influence on identity (Burke 2004, p. …show more content…
a mother (role) in a group of women or a team captain (role) in a sporting club) (Burke 2004, p. 9). When holding a particular position, people tend to perform (their role) in a way that matches the performance of others, and this in turn verifies the performance and creates meaning (Burke 2004, p. 9).
Participating in specific groups or organizations (e.g. sporting clubs, school and the workplace) or considering oneself as belonging to particular categories (e.g. gender, race etc.) creates a group identity. A group identity is the knowledge of a meaningful membership to a group or category. Group specific behaviours and attitudes are reinforced through acceptance, recognition and approval by other group members (Burke 2004, p. 9). This increases the value of such behaviours and attitudes and encourages the matching of identity to structure (Burke 2004, pp.