Role theory, what is our role in society?

Social roles are defined as the role we play within society, That is, they detail and represent what activities or behaviors are expected in a given social environment. Who are the ones who define what tasks correspond to us? Is the role assigned ready-made or do we build it ourselves? We resolve these doubts in this article. Enrique Pichón-Rivière (1985) defines the role as “an organized model of behavior, relative to a certain position of the individual in an interaction network, linked to one’s own expectations and those of others”.

Roles are played within any group. We can see the role within a team, for example, the defender or the striker; the base, forward or pivot. Another role within a family, role of mother, father, brother; or within work, the role of director, secretary, intern or assistant. The same person, depending on the context in which they are found, can play several roles. That of being an intern at work, that of a son in the family or that of being funny within the group of friends.

The role is constructed and adapted by each person to themselves, It may initially be defined by what the other contributors in the group expect from my behavior, but it will be in general terms, since each one must subsequently adapt those expectations and demands to their personal characteristics.

Theoretical approaches to social roles

From social psychology and sociology, there have been several authors who have approached a conceptualization of the social role and the way in which it is constructed, perpetuated and modified over time.

For example, From the theatrical approach proposed by the Canadian sociologist Erving Goffman, social roles are constructed from the scenario in which they are displayed. That is, each of us is an actor who moves through different scenarios and in each of them our roles vary, since the same behavior is not expected from a parent, a friend or a co-worker. Thus, we adjust different masks to our daily activities, masks that interact all the time with our personal identity.

On the other hand, The American psychologist Theodore Sarbin understands social roles as the behaviors that society expects from a particular subject at a particular time. In other words, they have to do with the relationship between social expectations and the way in which each person internalizes these expectations and incorporates them into their behavioral repertoire.

Roles are nothing more than social creations that determine the way in which individuals and institutions relate to one another. (family, education, religion, politics (the state), economy). These social institutions have implicit norms, that is, behavioral patterns that people introject and accept, since, if they do not do so, they may be rejected or expelled from the group.

Roles allow us to enter and exit the various realities and social institutions that are presented to us on a daily basis and, in general, in life. Therefore, each individual accepts the regulations imposed by the social structure and institutions and applies it in each of these social situations in which he or she operates.

Main models of social role theory

According to Biddle (1986), the five main models of role theory are the following:

Functionalism: It defines role as a series of expectations that society has on an individual. A series of consensuses are established that determine which behaviors are appropriate and which are not. Each social status is required to have a specific behavioral role.Symbolic interactionism: Through interaction, the logic of everyday situations is constituted that determines what others expect from us and what we expect from others.Structuralism: It emphasizes the role of society in establishing roles and focuses on social structures (stable organizations of groups of people) that share the same behavioral patterns.Organizational: analyzes how roles are configured within social organizations. It focuses on pre-established social systems guided by the type of tasks performed.Cognitive: defines the role in the middle of the relationship between expectations and behaviors. Berger (2012) maintains that «A role can be defined as a typical response to a symbolic expectation” and “society has defined in advance the fundamental symbolism».

Negative factors associated with the role

The problems associated with the role can come from various sources:

Role ambiguity: In this case, we have to adapt to a role in which we don’t really know what we have to do. Our role is not clear and we do not know what others expect from our behavior or our contribution to the group.Role conflict: in this section we will have two points. On the one hand, conflict within the role itself, that is, when the role does not suit me, I cannot adapt to what they ask. In the same way, it also happens because it exceeds my capabilities, or because it does not fit my ideology and, therefore, I do not feel comfortable carrying out those behaviors. The other type will be the conflict between roles, for example, I am assigned two different roles within a group, for example, being a scholarship holder and continuing to study. Or being parents and workers at the same time, which could cause stress from not being able to do both.Awarded roles: These are the problems derived from having to adapt to an already defined role and having little room to build it ourselves. A good example of this type of stress associated with the role could be gender roles, behaviors already expected by the group for the simple fact of being a man or a woman.role overload: The behaviors expected when assuming a role demand a lot from oneself. This can exceed the subject’s ability to adapt and cause stress.Poor roles: This problem happens the opposite of the previous point, when the subject believes that he can give much more of himself, but his role does not allow it.

Build the role

Our role in society or in the group is dynamic and evolves. In many cases, in this transformation it is we, as main actors, who have the greatest responsibility in its direction. In this sense, problems usually appear when we behave like a ship adrift. When we try to adopt a role that exceeds the limits of our flexibility or when we want to introduce too rapid and radical changes in our functions, we can feel great discomfort.

Ultimately, each person’s role should be unique and non-transferable. There may be “positions” to adapt to when we enter a new group, but, Starting from some general lines and behaviors, it is the role that must adapt to us and not the other way around., as happens in so many cases. On many occasions, we end up confusing certain roles with ourselves. For example, when we say “I am the mayor” we are believing the role. Perhaps it would be more correct to say, “I am acting as mayor.”

When we believe our role

Although it may seem like an unimportant nuance, when we believe ourselves according to which roles, we are making a mistake in our identification. In the same way that today I may be the director of a school, tomorrow I may not be one. Thus, there are roles that tend to be more temporary than others. From there, on many occasions, political conflicts come, when those who form a party refuse to give up their positions: “I am president”, “I am a councillor”, “I am a minister”. When in reality, they are just acting as such.

To conclude, building the role requires time and, above all, intelligence. That is why it is important to know how to develop a role and how to carry it. Each role requires a certain dedication and we can take advantage of each of them. When our role runs out at a certain moment, it is best to assume it. If we know how to play our cards, we can make it a great learning opportunity. After all, The role is the opportunity to show the world what we are capable of contributing.

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