role model (social role model)

Definition of Role Model

(noun) Someone that an individual patterns their behavior after for a particular role.

Examples of Role Model

• parent
• folk hero

Role Model Pronunciation

Pronunciation Usage Guide

Syllabification: role mod·el

Audio Pronunciation

International Phonetic Alphabet

• American English – /roʊl ˈmɑdəl/
• British English – /rəʊl ˈmɒdl/

Usage Notes

• Plural: role models
• The terms “role model” and “social role model” are used interchangeably in a sociological context.
• A role model does not have to be personally known, it can be a celebrity, historical figure, or politician.
• A type of significant other.
• Variant spellings:
  • role-model
  • rolemodel

Related Video

Additional Information

• Role Theory Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
• Word origin of “role” and “model” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com

Related Terms

• role
• role conflict
• role expectation
• role performance
• role reversal
• role segregation
• role set
• role strain
• role taking
• role theory
• status

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Works Consulted

Ferris, Kerry, and Jill Stein. 2010. The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology. 2nd ed. New York: Norton.

Macmillan. (N.d.) Macmillan Dictionary. (https://www.macmillandictionary.com/).

Merriam-Webster. (N.d.) Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/).

Scott, John, and Gordon Marshall. 2005. A Dictionary of Sociology. New York: Oxford University Press.

Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. (https://en.wikipedia.org/).

Cite the Definition of Role Model

ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “role model.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved April 18, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/role-model/).

APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)

role model. (2014). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/role-model/

Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “role model.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed April 18, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/role-model/.

MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)

“role model.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/role-model/>.