Status

Status denotes the rights, duties and respect accorded by society or social grouping to the function a person carries out in such a grouping. This is distinct from the role such a person plays, which refers to what he is expected to do. Since a person may have several functions (depending on his or her occupation, position in the family, position in leisure-time occupation, etc) the status he or she is accorded will depend on the function relevant at that time. In addition, status may be accorded through birth into a particular family or through meritorious achievements.