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  • Word comparison: role strain vs. role conflict

role strain vs. role conflict

role strain vs. role conflict: 's the difference?

Role conflict and role strain are terms in sociology that refer to stress caused by a person’s relationship with their social roles. Role strain is when a single social role carries incompatible expectations or behavior (for example, a parent’s contrasting need to be compassionate and authoritarian). Role conflict is when an individual carries multiple social roles with competing demands (in other words, someone who is both an employee and a parent balancing the responsibilities of the two roles).

noun

Sociology.
  1. the stress or strain experienced by an individual when incompatible behavior, expectations, or obligations are associated with a single social role.


noun

  1. emotional conflict arising when competing demands are made on an individual in the fulfillment of their multiple social roles.