Role Theory : Expectations, Identities, and Behaviors

Role theory concerns one of the most important features of social life, characteristic behavior patterns or roles. It explains roles by presuming that persons are members of social positions and hold expectations for their own behaviors and those of other persons. Its vocabulary and concerns are popular among social scientists and practitioners, and role concepts have generated a lot of research. At least five perspectives may be discriminated in recent work within the field: functional, symbolic interactionist, structural, organizational, and cognitive role theory. Much of role research reflects practical concerns and derived concepts, and research on four such concepts is reviewed: consensus, conformity, role conflict, and role taking. Recent developments suggest both centrifugal and integrative forces within the role field. The former reflect differing perspective commitments of scholars, confusions and disagreements over use of role concepts, and the fact that role theory is used to analyze various forms of social system. The latter reflect the shared, basic concerns of the field and efforts by role theorists to seek a broad version of the field that will accommodate a wide range of interests Role Theory: Expectations, Identities, and Behaviors presents the applications of role concepts for education, social work, and clinical practice. This book examines the advantages as well as the shortcomings of the role stance. Organized into nine chapters, this book begins with an overview of behaviors that are characteristics of persons within contexts and the various processes that are employed to explain and predict those behaviors. This text then examines the concepts of the role field and discovers their applications to social problems of pressing concern. Other chapters consider the empirical evidence that has been developed within the role orientation concerning social problems. This book discusses as well the behavioral comparability, behavior linkage, behavioral effects, and complex linking concepts for behaviors. The final chapter discusses how contexts may affect the behaviors of persons and how those behaviors may have subsequent functions. This book is a valuable resource for anthropologists, sociologists, and social psychologists. Content: Front Matter , Page iii Copyright , Page iv Preface , Pages ix-x Chapter One - Relevance, Role Theory, and Ratiocination , Pages 1-19 Chapter Two - The Study of Social Behaviors , Pages 20-54 Chapter Three - Roles , Pages 55-86 Chapter Four - Identities and Social Positions , Pages 87-114 Chapter Five - Expectations , Pages 115-159 Chapter Six - Comparison Concepts and Expected Roles , Pages 160-221 Chapter Seven - The Analysis of Social Systems , Pages 222-280 Chapter Eight - The Person in a Social Context , Pages 281-332 Chapter Nine - Ultima Rolle , Pages 333-348 References , Pages 349-380 Glossary of Key Terms and Concepts , Pages 381-397 Author Index , Pages 399-409 Subject Index , Pages 411-416 Bruce J. Biddle. Includes Indexes. Bibliography: P. 349-380.