The Phenomena Of Role conflict In Modern Day Society BA 1st Year Notes

The Phenomena of Role Conflict In Modern-Day Society BA 1st Year Notes: We find the people in our surroundings are different. Not only as regards sex, colour, age and other physical appearances. But they are also different concerning the occupations they follow. They are professors, doctors, engineers, businessmen, shopkeepers and labourers etc. It is true that no individual can perform all the tasks on his own. Nor can all the tasks be given to all individuals. One can perform a job only when he has the characteristics for such performance. The performance of an individual makes up the role he has to play for his community.

Defining the term ‘role’ Ogburn and Nimcoff write that,

“A role is a set of socially expected and approved behaviour patterns, consisting of both duties and privileges, associated. With a particular position in a group.”

Lundberg is of the opinion that ” A social role is a pattern of behaviour. Expected of an individual in a certain group or situation.” Davis says that “Tole is the manner in which a person actually carries out the requirements of his position.” Thus, the role consists of the behaviour that we expect from an individual. It is seen that none can perform his role in an excellent manner unless he possesses the attitude for such a role.

Phenomena of Role Conflict:

The harmonious and smooth running of the social group depends upon whether different roles have been properly assigned to different people, and whether they are performing their assigned roles as per the expectations.

But in reality, there are differences of opinion as regards the behaviour one is expected to display in the role assigned to him. Sometimes, it is also visible that one is not in harmony with the role that has been assigned to him, and therefore, fails to live as is expected of him. As a result, there arise a lot of group tensions and conflicts.

There are different roles that one has to play as part of different groups:

If society is simple and comparatively stationary, there would be lesser role conflicts. But present-day societies are so complex that role conflicts have assumed greater proportions leading to greater group tensions.

The state of tension is persistently increasing whether it is family vocational surroundings, politics or some other sphere. The individual is flummoxed in the knowledge of what is appropriate for him. There are different roles that one has to play is the part of different groups.

The role. of an individual as the head of his family may come in conflict with the role he has to play as a professional, say as a businessman or character accountant.

Sometimes, his role as father or husband may come in conflict with the role he has to play when he is acting as a professional, and he may be asked to momentarily forget his obligations towards his family for the sake of his professional obligations.

Sometimes, this also happens that the roles of two or more individuals are in conflict for the reason that the functions to be performed by them are not consistent with their status. Role conflict also arises when one finds the role assigned to him below his dignity. Thus, there may be different reasons for role conflict.

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