Final answer:
Ascribed statuses for Jane would include her gender and ethnicity, while achieved statuses could be her profession and marital status. Relative statuses refer to how her statuses compare to others, and status inconsistency may occur when there is a conflict between different statuses.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ascribed statuses for Jane, a 49-year-old woman of Irish-German descent, might include her gender (female) and her ethnicity (Irish-German). These statuses are ascribed because she did not choose them, but rather they were given to her at birth. Examples of achieved statuses could be her profession, such as a doctor or teacher, and her marital status, such as being married or single. Achieved statuses are obtained through personal accomplishments or choices.
Relative statuses refer to how Jane's statuses compare to others in society. For example, her gender and ethnicity may place her in certain social groups or impact her social standing and opportunities. Status inconsistency occurs when there is a mismatch or conflict between different statuses held by an individual. For example, if Jane is a successful businesswoman but faces gender discrimination at work, there is a status inconsistency between her achieved status as a professional and the discrimination she experiences based on her ascribed status as a woman.