Final answer:
Role stress is the tension arising from incompatible demands across different roles or within the same role. It can lead to conflicts, as seen when a person must balance responsibilities of being a parent with those of a full-time employee, causing potential impacts on job performance and family life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Role stress is distress when two or more different roles place incompatible expectations on an individual. It occurs when a person is faced with contradictory demands or expectations within the same role, leading to a conflict. Role strain, on the other hand, refers to the stress experienced when too much is required of a single role. For example, being a parent and a full-time employee often leads to role conflicts as one juggles the responsibilities of caring for a child and meeting workplace demands. Situations like a sick child needing to be picked up from school during a crucial work deadline exemplify this conflict. Job stress can lead to various negative outcomes, including poor job performance and impact on family life.