Social structure refers to the patterns by which society is organized, including status, roles, and expectations. It is the framework that exists before an individual is born, determining social mobility through established routes like a bureaucracy where rank increases over time. Henslin distinguishes status as social positions and roles as the expected behaviors, obligations, and privileges associated with a particular status. Viewing life simply as roles occupied makes society seem like a stage play where people perform expected functions.

1. Social structure
Social structure refers to _patterns around which society is organized.
Henslin defines social structure as "_the framework of society that was
already laid out before you were born”. Social mobility is often achieved
b y r o u t e s p r o v i d e d b y t h e s o c i a l s t r u c t u r e . I n a b u r e a u c r a c y, t h e p a t t e r n s
are well defined (in the army one moves up in rank).
Henslin draws a distinction between status and roles. Status refers to the
social positions_ that exist in society while Roles refer to "expected"
p a t t e r n s o f b e h a v i o r, o b l i g a t i o n s , a n d P r i v i l e g e s a t t a c h e d t o a p a r t i c u l a r
social status. Associated with each Role (or social position) are many
expectations concerning how a person Should behave.
E x p e c t a t i o n s a re l i ke n o r ms . Vi e w i n g l i f e s i mp l y i n t e r ms o f ro l e s t h a t
P e o p l e o c c u p y, o n e b e g i n s t o s e e a l l l i f e a s i f i t w e r e a s t a g e p l a y.
Shakespeare said in "as you like it":

2. Issues related to caste, age, sex, gender, health
safety