Question

What is the difference between your master status and your social identity?

Answer 1

We have our own different social identities or in other words we play many social roles,as for example man, woman,student, teacher,leader,follower, husband,wife etc.There are numerous social roles or identities that we are attached with. This is social identity.

Now, according to the situation we give importance to a specific social role or we behave accordingly,this is our master status. A student's identity in a school, that changes at home as son or daughter. Or a teacher at school is a mother at home or a wife .Hence,master statuses are situational . But some master statuses are more prominent as of man,woman ,gender,or the professional status. Master status is ascribed status that shape individual's social identity, role expectations and behavior. Master status is that identity to which we give importance in a particular situation of all our social identities.