Social Structure and Individuality

The assertion that human behaviour is socially patterned often provokes some initial resistance. Few human beings readily admit to being part of any kind of system, especially those who live in a culture that prizes individual autonomy. Americans, for instance, tend to emphasize individual responsibility for behaviour and highlight the unique elements of their personalities. Behaving in patterned ways, however, does not threaten our individuality. On the contrary, individuality is encouraged by social structure.

First, and more generally, our humanity involves much more than physical existence. The great potential of human beings develops only thorough interaction with others. Within social life, distinct personalities emerge as people blend their unique qualities with the values and norms of the large culture from freely expressing ourselvs. The social world can be disorienting, even frightening, to people who do not know the behaviour guidelines. Without this knowledge, people feel too uncomfortable to express their unique personalities with confidence.

To illustrate, you may recall going alone to a party given by people you did not know well. Entering such a setting - and not knowing quite what to expect - is likely to cause some anxiety. At such times you generally feel self-conscious, try to make a favorable impression, and look to others for clues about what sort of behaviour is expected of you. Once you understand the behavioral standards that apply to the setting, you are likely to feel comfortable enough to «act like yourself».

Of course, social structure also places some constraints on human behaviour. By guiding bahaviour within culturally approved bounds, established social patterns discourage behaviour that is culturally defined as unconventional.(Traditional values and norms in the United States and Canada, for example, still reflect the expectation that males will be «masculine» (physically strong, self-assertive, and rational) and the females will be «feminine» (physically weak, self-effacing, and emotional). The structure of society exerts pressure on individuals to fit into one or the other of these categories, ignoring the fact that most people have both «masculine* and «feminine» qualities. In this and many other ways, social structure can limit any individual's freedom to think and act in ways that may be personally preferred. In addition, the failure to conform to established social patterns may lead to being defined by others as deviant.

Strain and Conflict

The several roles that are linked to any particular status are not always easily integrated, so an individual can feel pulled in several directions at once. Role strain is defined as incompatibility among the roles corresponding to a single status. When several roles linked to a single status make competing demands a person may not always be able to live up to social expectations. A parent, for example, may have difficulty with simultaneous responsibilities to discipline a child and to be the child's trusted confidant.

In addition, roles attached to different statuses often demand incompatible patterns of behaviour. The concept of role conflict refers to incompatibility among the roles corresponding to two or more statuses. Single parents often experience role conflict in their attempt to be both parents and bread winners — each status demands considerable time and energy. Consequently, the individual may find that both roles cannot be fully performed simultaneously.