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SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Talcott Parsons (1902-1979)

Parsons was a Professor of Sociology at Harvard University for most of his career.

He wrote 17 books and more than 200 articles

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s Parsons was a dominant figure in sociology.

A major point in his career was the publication in 1937 of The Structure of Social Action, which is a major treatment of four major thinkers – Alfred Marshall, Durkheim, Weber, and Pareto. Parsons argues that these men were converging toward what Parsons calls

The Voluntarstic Theory of Action

Elements of Action:

1. We start with an actor.

2. There are the ends (or goals) toward which the actor strives.

3. Action takes place in situations. There must be means, resources which help the actor reach the goal and there are conditions, obstacles the actor must cope with. All this is regulated by norms.

DEFINITION OF ACTION:

(1) the behavior of a person oriented toward reaching ends or goals,

(2) action takes place in situations,

(3) behavior is regulated by norms,

(4) it involves energy or effort in motivation.

Actions are organized into different systems of action at various levels. Action is organized into four systems: the organism, personality systems, social systems, and cultural systems.

A. The Human Organism as a system. Motor activity, the nervous system, the biological bases of behavior

B. The Personality System. Needs, drives, attitudes, skills. The individual actor is the focus.

C. The Social System. The interaction of individuals. Basic unit in the Social System is roles, not actors. We are concerned with:

A. Role Expectation

B. Role Performance

C. Role Sanctions

D. Degree of Institutionalization of Roles

FOUR FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL SYSTEMS:

A G I L

1. Adaptation – getting and distributing resources from the environment; how well the system adjusts to its envoronment

2. Goal Attainment – set and pursue goals and establish priorities

3. Integration – adjusting and coordinating parts of the system; cohesion and solidarity

4. Latent Pattern Maintenance – motivating actors to play roles and manage tensions

THE PATTERN VARIABLES

Issues that must be settled before any interaction can take place.

1. Ascription – Achievement

2. Specificity – Diffuseness

3. Affective – Affective Neutrality

4. Universalism – Particularism

5. Self – Collectivity

WHAT HOLDS SOCIAL SYSTEM TOGETHER:

1. Consensus on Values

2. Socialization

3. Social Control

D. CULTURAL SYSTEMS. Philosophical ideas, religion, habits, traditions, other parts of the culture.