One status tends to take rank above all others. The status that plays the greatest role in shaping a person’s life and determining his or her social identity is called a(n)

A master status is the status that has the strongest influence on a person’s social identity and often shapes how others respond to them. Achieved and ascribed statuses describe how a status is acquired, while professional status refers to a person’s work role. So the correct choice is “master status.”

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