In like manner, failure in any of these endeavors may lessen his power rating. As a matter of fact, most of the factors mentioned here could be reversed and a man would thereby lose power weight. Achieved and ascribed status. Both achieved and ascribed status have meaning in the power scale. By achieved status one means merely that a person has gained status by his own efforts.
Ascribed status is present in the social situation.
In the latter instance, within certain cultures specific status is ascribed to women, to the aged, to the young. One obviously does not achieve youth, age, sex. These factors are inherent in the person and the status given to these factors is inherent in the culture. Also, in most cultures, position and status are ascribed to property holders, wealthy persons, even sometimes to those with mental or physical abnormalities, or to those of normal birth. The status of such persons is ascribed by the culture.