SOC 100A Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Talcott Parsons, Sick Role, Mcdonaldization
31 Dec 2018
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Emile durkheim, talcott parsons & robert merton. Society is a single organism in which every part functions to benefit of every other part and the whole. Any institution, group or organisation can be interpreted by focusing on its positive & negative functions within society. Positive functions contribute to the harmony & stability of society while negative aspects can lead to fracturing and anarchy. Functionalism continued: parsons theory of the sick role". Parsons makes distinction between biological basis of illness and the social basis, concept of the sick role . Sick person should want to get well cooperate with doctors. Doctors are expected to act in interests of patients and community, not self interest, objective and detached. The deviant who do not conform should be reformed or excluded to maintain positive functioning. Sick person granted rights and privileges: relieved of other roles and social obligations eg going to work (depending on how sick they are)
