Explanation
In sociology, a role refers to the patterns of behavior, obligations, and rights expected of an individual occupying a particular social position. Roles provide predictability and structure in social interactions by defining how someone should act in given contexts.
For example, the role of a police officer includes expectations of law enforcement, authority, and public service, while the role of a parent involves care, education, and emotional support.
Roles are socially constructed and learned through processes of socialization. They can be sources of stability but also of tension and conflict, as when individuals face role conflicts (contradictory demands between different roles) or person-role conflicts (tensions between personal values and role expectations).
Roles are central to theories of social order, identity, and institutional analysis.