Master status

A status that becomes the dominant way others identify and judge a person, overshadowing their other characteristics.

A status that becomes the dominant feature through which other people judge an individual, overshadowing their other characteristics.

A public label such as ‘criminal’ can become a master status. Other people then judge the individual mainly through that label, overlooking their other characteristics and assuming that they possess the negative qualities associated with it.

For Becker, explain the links between labelling, master status, exclusion and possible further deviance. Labelling does not inevitably produce a deviant career.

Apply specialist language: explain how a label might become a master status rather than simply listing both terms.

A master status dominates how someone is seen; a self-fulfilling prophecy is the process through which expectations help produce the expected behaviour.

A label or social position that outweighs a person's other identities in how they are seen, such as a pupil being viewed primarily as a troublemaker.

A status or label that overshadows someone’s other identities and becomes the main way others see them.

A status that becomes the dominant feature through which others see a person, overshadowing their other roles and qualities.

A status that becomes the main way others identify a person, overshadowing their other characteristics and roles.

A label such as ‘criminal’ may become a master status, overshadowing other identities such as friend, parent or employee. Others may distrust or reject the person, even after they have stopped offending. Losing friendships or employment opportunities can make participation in conventional life more difficult.

Definition

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AQA GCSE Sociology · 8192

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Eduqas GCSE Sociology · C200