The stress generated within a person when he or she cannot comply with a role is called:

• A. role incongruity
• B. role strain
• C. role conflict
• D. role overload

Answer: (A)

The main idea is a mismatch between what a role expects and who the person feels they are or what they can do. When someone cannot fulfill a role because it doesn’t fit their self-concept or abilities, internal tension or stress arises. This is role incongruity. It’s different from stress within a single role (role strain), which comes from the pressures of that role’s demands; or from conflicting demands from different roles (role conflict); or from simply having too many tasks (role overload). For example, someone who highly values autonomy might feel distress if a role requires rigid, unquestioning obedience; the role’s expectations clash with their sense of self, creating incongruity and stress.