Title: Role Theory - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Headings: Role Theory
Role Theory
Social Participation in the Second Half of Life
Role theory
Family and Culture
5 Family Roles and Power
Data Collection: Interviewing
4 Role Theory
Animal-assisted interventions in mental health
Role theory
Social Psychology, Theories of
2.1 Belonging, Within the Individual
Neurosemantics and Categories
48.3.1 The Representation Relation
NEUROSEMANTICS AND CATEGORIES
3.1 The representation relation
Goffman, Erving (1921–82)
2.2.2 Roles and identities
Status and Role: Structural Aspects
2 Role Theory
Health and Well-Being Outcomes of the Work-Family Interface
Role Theory

Content: Role Theory - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Role Theory
Role theory refers to the cultural norms regarding psychological and interactional aspects of members of society, such as mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and grandparents. From: Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology, 2004
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Social Participation in the Second Half of Life
Marja Aartsen, Thomas Hansen, in Encyclopedia of Biomedical Gerontology, 2020
Role theory
Role theory is an often-used explanatory framework for the benefits of volunteering and helping others for health and well-being. Role theory has its origin in the work of the American sociologist Robert Merton (Merton, 1957 ). Roles refer to the social position people have (e.g., teacher, mother, and customer) and behavior associated with that position. Roles tend to carry certain risks and benefits which may vary by individual characteristics, historical time, and cultural context. Roles can provide connection to other people and access to resources, which in turn may promote feelings of security, status enhancement, and ego gratification. Roles also provide directions for behavior in otherwise uncertain situations ( Hogg, 2000 ), which may serve to reduce stress and improve well-being. People often fulfill a set of roles at the same time (e.g., mother, director, and child), and this set may change over the life course ( Riley and Riley, 1994; Rotolo, 2000 ).