TALCOTT PARSONS
- Father of structural functionalism in the American context.
- Born on 13th December, 1902
- Passed away on 8th May 1979.
- PhD in economics
- Done graduate studies in the UK and Europe in the 1920s had familiarized him with the
work of, among others, the trio of Marx, Weber and Durkheim.
- He sought to develop a grand theory that could integrate various strands of sociological
inquiry and provide a comprehensive understanding of social systems.
THE SOCIAL SYSTEM AND ACTION THEORY: INTERCONNECTED PARTS
This theory sought to understand human behavior in society by emphasizing the significance of
individual actions and their relationship with social structures.
Key concepts
1. Social system: Acc to him, society can be viewed as a social system, comprising various
interrelated parts that work together to maintain stability and equilibrium. Each part of
the system serves specific functions, and any change in one part can impact the entire
system.
2. Action theory: Acc to him, action theory focuses on intentional actions and their
motivations. Individuals act based on their interpretations of the situations and their
understanding of the potential consequences of their actions.
3. Social structure: these are the patterns of norms, values, roles and institutions that shape
and guide individual behavior within a society. These structure provide a framework for
organizing social interactions and determining what is considered acceptable or
unacceptable in given context.
4. Pattern variables: he introduced this concept. These are sets of contrasting values that
individuals navigate when making decisions and choosing courses of action. These
include values such as universalism vs. particularism, affectivity vs. affective neutrality,
self-orientation vs. collectivity, and specificity vs. diffuseness.
AGIL Scheme
It is one of the central elements of parson’s action theory, it represents functional
prerequisites necessary for smooth functioning of the social system.
- Adaptation – this refers to the need for a society to adapt to its external environment
to survive and thrive. For instance, an agricultural society may need to adjust its
farming practices based on changes in weather patterns to ensure a stable food
supply.
- Goal attainment – it is related to the establishment and pursuit of societal goals and
values. Governments and organizations play a crucial role in setting and achieving
these goals, such a providing education, healthcare, and infrastructure for the
welfare of the population.
- Integration – it involves maintaining social cohesion and order within a society.
Institutions like family, religion, and education foster social solidarity and promote a
shared sense of identity and purpose among members of a community.
- Latency – it refers to the provision of societal stability and continuity through
mechanisms like socialization, cultural transmission, and value internalization. For
example, socialization within families help transmit cultural values and norms from
one generation to the next.
SICK ROLE
- Developed in 1950s
- It asserts that there are certain necessary actions needed to ensure that people who
are sick receive appropriate medical care, allowing society relatively unburdened by
their illness.
- It was inspired by Emile Durkheim’s work on functionalism.
There are, however, three primary criteria of accepting the social role of being sick.
- The first of these is the assertion with the view to its acceptance by both self and others,
that being in a state of illness is not the sick person’s own fault, and that he should be
regarded as the victim of forces beyond his control.
- A second social-structural feature of the sick role is the claim of exemption from ordinary
daily obligations and expectations, for example, staying at home in bed instead of going
to school or office.
- The third is the expectation, if the case is sufficiently severe, of seeking help from some
kind of institutionalized health service agency.
