Editing Role theory (section)

=== Social differentiation ===
{{Main|Differentiation (sociology)}}
Social differentiation received a lot of attention due to the development of different job roles. [[Robert K. Merton]] distinguished between intrapersonal and interpersonal [[role conflict]]s. For example, a foreman has to develop his own social role facing the expectations of his team members and his supervisor – this is an interpersonal role conflict. He also has to arrange his different social roles as father, husband, club member – this is an intrapersonal role conflict.

[[Ralph Dahrendorf]] distinguished between must-expectations, with sanctions; shall-expectations, with sanctions and rewards and can-expectations, with rewards. The foreman has to avoid corruption; he should satisfy his reference groups (e.g. team members and supervisors); and he can be sympathetic. He argues another component of role theory is that people accept their own roles in the society and it is not the society that imposes them.