Final answer:
The recognizable social position an individual holds, such as a student or professor, is called a status, which is associated with certain responsibilities and expected behaviors. The correct option is a.
Step-by-step explanation:
A recognizable social position that an individual occupies, such as a student or professor, is known as a status. Status refers to the responsibilities and benefits that a person experiences according to their rank and role in society.
Some statuses, like son or elder, are ascribed and not chosen by the individual, whereas others, like being a nurse or a high school dropout, are achieved statuses resulting from personal choices.
Each status can have a complex set of roles attached to it, which are the behaviors expected of someone occupying that status. The correct option is a.