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Social Structure

Achieved Status

Definition Achieved status refers to a social position or rank that an individual attains through...

Anomie

Definition Anomie is a concept from sociology that describes a state of normlessness or a breakdo...

Ascribed Status

Definition Ascribed status refers to social positions or roles that are assigned to individuals a...

Bureaucracy

Definition Bureaucracy refers to a system of organization characterized by a hierarchical structu...

Collective Conscience

Definition Collective Conscience (also called collective consciousness) refers to the shared beli...

Caste System

Definition The caste system is a social hierarchy in which people are divided into groups based o...

Division of Labor

Definition The division of labor is a concept where tasks or processes are split into smaller, sp...

Class System

Definition A class system is a social hierarchy in which individuals are categorized based on sha...

Gemeinschaft

Definition In sociology, Gemeinschaft refers to a type of social group characterized by close per...

Gesellschaft

Definition: In sociology, "Gesellschaft" refers to a type of social organization characterized by...

Master Status

Definition In sociology, a master status is the social position that dominates all other statuses...

Mechanical Solidarity

Definition Mechanical solidarity is a concept in sociology introduced by Émile Durkheim that desc...

Estate System

Definition The Estate System was a social hierarchy prevalent in medieval Europe, which divided s...

Meritocracy

Overview Meritocracy is a system of social organization where advancement and rewards are based o...

Organic Solidarity

Definition: Organic solidarity refers to a type of social cohesion where individuals in a society...

Rites of Passage

Definition Rites of passage are ceremonies or rituals that mark significant transitions in an ind...

Role

Definition In sociology, a "role" refers to a set of expectations, behaviors, and responsibilitie...

Social Class

Definition Social class refers to a system of stratification or hierarchy within society where in...

Social Cohesion

Definition Social cohesion refers to the degree of unity, solidarity, and sense of belonging amon...

Social Mobility

Overview Social mobility refers to how easily people can move up or down the social and economic ...

Social Organization

Definition Social organization refers to the structured patterns of interactions, relationships, ...

Social Roles

Definition In psychology, social roles refer to the expectations and behaviors associated with a ...

Status

Definition In sociology, status refers to the position or rank that an individual occupies within...