The status a person chooses, such as a level of education or income, is called what?

• A. Achieved status
• B. Ascribed status
• C. Roles
• D. Status

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how people come to occupy social positions. Achieved status is a position that a person earns or chooses through effort and actions—like pursuing education or building a career and income. The phrase “the status a person chooses” fits this because it emphasizes personal agency in attaining the position. Ascribed status, in contrast, is something you’re born with or assigned without choice (like family background or age). Roles refer to the behaviors expected of someone in a given status, not the status itself, and “status” is the general term for one's place in the social hierarchy. So the best answer is achieved status.