Relevance: Sociology paper I: Social Thinkers
Pattern variables refers to a set of concepts , which reflects the ‘properties of all action systems’, in Talcott Parsons Theory of ‘Social Action .’ According to Parsons, in the performance of roles, individuals face ‘dilemmas’ which occur due to ‘improper internalisation of values’ related to ‘role -expectation.’ These strains in the ‘role performance’ are reflected in five sets of dilemma, placed dichotomously, with each side representing one polar extreme. The social actor has to ‘choose’ one side before the actor can act .
The five pattern variables , as listed by Parsons are :
- Affectivity versus affective neutrality
- Self-orientation versus Collectivity orientation
- Universalism versus Particularism
- Ascription versus Achievement
Specificity versus Diffuseness
The ‘dilemma’ of role performance is involved in relation to a ‘situation’ i.e., how much should a situation be evaluated in ‘emotional terms or with a degree of emotional neutrality.’
In this the main issue is that of ‘moral standard’ in the procedure of evaluation.
In this, role situation the actor’s ‘dilemma’ is between the ‘cognitive versus the cathective.
Here the dilemma is whether or not the actor defines the objects of his or her role in terms of ‘quality or performance.’
In this the dilemma is to be understood in terms of ‘ nature of social interaction’ or in other words , the scope of the object of role performance
The Pattern variables, therefore according to Parsons, define the nature of ‘role interaction’ and ‘role expectations’ in social system. It provides the overall direction in which most members of a social system choose their roles. It therefore gives us an idea about the nature of the social system. They, help us to identify different types of ‘structures of social systems’. ‘Social structure’ , refers to the specific manner in which ‘roles in an interaction situation are configurated or composed ‘.
In his book, ‘The Social System’, Talcott Parsons , himself mentions , many types of empirical social systems, with different ‘clusterings of social structure .’ He mentions four such types :
The Universalistic -achievement pattern
The Universalistic-ascription pattern
The Particularistic-achievement pattern
The Particularistic- ascription pattern
- It is a type of ‘structure of social system’ in whose roles those ‘value orientations’ are dominant which encourage achievement based on ‘legal rational methods’ among members of a society .ex. American society.
- It is yet another type of configuration of roles which makes a social system in which values of ‘legal rationality’ are encouraged in performance of roles but the distribution of authority is not on the basis of equality or democracy. Ex. Nazi Germany.
- This type of social structure, is best seen in the classical Chinese society. This society was dominated by values of ‘familism’ , but at the same time , the society emphasized achievement and a code of propriety ,in the conduct of roles.
- It refers to such types of social structures in which the roles are organized in terms of values, associated with kinship, birth and other ascriptive features. Achievement through individual effort is not encouraged. Spanish Americans in USA, traditional Indian caste system.
The Pattern – variables, can , thus help us to identify different types of structures of social systems, their social characteristics and their place in society. However, in real life ,the ‘dilemma of choices’ in terms of pattern variables are much more ‘precarious’ and ‘full of strain’ than ,emphasised by Parsons. The empirical social systems as described by Parsons , may in real life settings , show variations ex. Racism in American society, mobility in Indian caste system. Social reality has however , become very complex , especially due to rapid pace of ‘social change,’ in the wake of an increasingly globalizing world .It is therefore , very difficult to identify social systems , with a pre – dominant ‘cultural value’ defining them.
327 comments