Master status vs. ascribed and achieved status
A physician who uses a wheelchair finds that others consistently focus on her disability rather than her profession. Her disability has become her:
Answer A: explanation for every choice
A
Correct. A master status dominates how others perceive a person and overshadows their other statuses.
B
An achieved status is earned through effort, like being a physician.
C
Disability may be an ascribed status, but that term does not capture it overshadowing her other statuses, which is what the stem describes.
D
Role conflict is tension between the demands of two different statuses.
TakeawayMaster status is whichever status dominates how others see you. It can be ascribed or achieved.
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Reviewed 2026-11-05 by a medical student. Spot an error? Report it with question ID ps23.