What does role strain refer to?

Role strain refers to the difficulties and stresses that arise when a person experiences conflicting demands or expectations associated with a single social status they occupy. This concept highlights how individuals can feel overwhelmed or pressured when various aspects of that role compete with one another, making it difficult to fulfill all obligations effectively.

For example, a student may experience role strain when trying to balance academic responsibilities with societal expectations to engage in extracurricular activities and part-time work. All these demands relate to the single status of being a student, and managing them can be challenging.

In contrast, other options pertain to different sociological phenomena. Competing social groups would involve role conflict, where an individual faces demands from different statuses, while negative emotions from a status change concern transitions between roles, not within a single one. A lack of clarity in role expectations suggests ambiguity in social roles rather than conflicts arising from too many demands attached to one role. Therefore, the essence of role strain is captured accurately by the chosen answer.