The ways we choose to present ourselves to other people also give clues as to our
social status, which is the position we occupy in a particular setting. In a
doctor’s office, the doctor occupies one status, the nurse another, and the receptionist still
another. Some statuses carry more prestige and power than others. In our society, the status of
doctor is more prestigious than the status of nurse, and the status of nurse is more prestigious
than that of receptionist.
Statuses also exist in the home, including the positions of mother, father, oldest
child, youngest child, and grandparent. Most of us occupy a number of different statuses in our
lives. The collection of all of our different statuses from every setting is called our
status set.
Status Symbols
Sometimes we wear status symbols, or signs or symbols of a respective
status. Professors wear academic regalia to identify their status within the collegiate
setting. Successful businesspeople may drive luxurious cars or wear expensive clothing or
jewelry to indicate a high financial status within the community. A wedding ring is also an
example of a status symbol in our culture, as it communicates the message that the wearer is
married.
Not all status symbols are positive. In some states, an individual who has been
convicted of driving a car while intoxicated must put a bumper sticker saying “DUI” (Driving
Under the Influence) or “Convicted DUI” on their car. The bumper sticker indicates a status
that is generally looked down on in our society.
Status Inconsistency
We tend to have more than one status at any given point in our lives, and most of the
time there is consistency among our various statuses. Status inconsistency results when a
person occupies one or more statuses that do not ordinarily coincide in the same person. A
seventy-five-year-old grandmother who is a college freshman and a cab driver who is a
classically trained Shakespearean actor both exhibit status inconsistency.
Master Status
A master status overrides all other statuses and becomes the one by which
we are first known to others. For many people, their occupation is their master status, since
it conveys so much about their income, education, skills, and interests. People who differ from
the rest of society in some way may have a different master status. For many people who are
homosexual, their sexual orientation becomes their master status, and others think of it when
they hear those people’s names. Their statuses as professionals, athletes, family members, and
community leaders are secondary to their status as homosexuals.
