Definition of Role Theory
(noun) Any sociological theory asserting the importance of roles and role taking in creating and maintaining society.
Role Theory Pronunciation
Syllabification: role the·o·ry
Audio Pronunciation
Phonetic Spelling
- American English – /rOHl thEE-uhr-ree/
- British English – /rOHl thIUH-ree/
International Phonetic Alphabet
- American English – /roʊl ˈθɪəri/
- British English – /rəʊl ˈθɪəri/
Usage Notes
- Plural: role theories
- The terms “role theory” and “social role theory” are used interchangeably in a sociological context.
Related Video
Additional Information
- Role Theory Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
- Word origin of “role” and “theory” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com
Related Terms
- norm
- role
- role conflict
- role distancing
- role expectation
- role performance
- role reversal
- role segregation
- role set
- status
Cite the Definition of Role Theory
ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “role theory.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved June 5, 2023 (https://sociologydictionary.org/role-theory/).
APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)
role theory. (2014). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/role-theory/
Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “role theory.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed June 5, 2023. https://sociologydictionary.org/role-theory/.
MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)
“role theory.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2014. Web. 5 Jun. 2023. <https://sociologydictionary.org/role-theory/>.