Talcott Parsons Social Actions | Sociology Mains Optional for UPSC 2024 PDF Download

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TALCOTT PARSONS SOCIAL ACTION 
Combining micro & macro Rejecting exclusivism 
Theory of Social Action Book: “The structure of Social Action, 1937”. 
Conditions of Social Action: 
• Social situation (social aspect)  
• Oriented towards goals (motivational aspect)  
• Regulated by norms & values (value aspect)  
• Involves investment of energy (biological aspect) 
Actor possesses alternative means 
 
2 types of social Action  
Based on Orientations 
 
Motivational orientation  
• Influence of Weber  
• Influenced by individual’s own needs  
• Personal needs, interests & plans  
• about knowing the phenomenon 
 
Cognitive (observation, according to one’s needs)  
Cathactic (Affective \Emotional)  
Evaluate (How best to use your energies to satisfy the need) 
 
Value orientation  
• ED’s influence  
• Considering norms & values 
 
Cognitive (societal values altering observation)  
Appreciative (societal values altering emotions)  
Moral (what is the right thing to do) 
 
  
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TALCOTT PARSONS SOCIAL ACTION 
Combining micro & macro Rejecting exclusivism 
Theory of Social Action Book: “The structure of Social Action, 1937”. 
Conditions of Social Action: 
• Social situation (social aspect)  
• Oriented towards goals (motivational aspect)  
• Regulated by norms & values (value aspect)  
• Involves investment of energy (biological aspect) 
Actor possesses alternative means 
 
2 types of social Action  
Based on Orientations 
 
Motivational orientation  
• Influence of Weber  
• Influenced by individual’s own needs  
• Personal needs, interests & plans  
• about knowing the phenomenon 
 
Cognitive (observation, according to one’s needs)  
Cathactic (Affective \Emotional)  
Evaluate (How best to use your energies to satisfy the need) 
 
Value orientation  
• ED’s influence  
• Considering norms & values 
 
Cognitive (societal values altering observation)  
Appreciative (societal values altering emotions)  
Moral (what is the right thing to do) 
 
  
 
 
Types of Social Action 
Instrumental Action  
• Zweck – rational Evaluative aspect strong: Logical means 
 
Expressive Action  
• Emotional  
• Appreciative aspect strong 
 
Moral Action  
• Traditional & Wert rational Moral  aspect story Based on traditions values 
 
Conflict between Motivational & Value orientations 
Pattern variables  
• ADAPCO  
• Ascription vs Achievement  
• Diffuseness vs specificity (obligations in an interaction)  
• Affectivity vs Affective Neutrality (Amount of emotion)  
• Particularism vs universalism  
• Collective orientation vs self – orientation 
 
Why this conflict  
• Problems of Internalization (fault in socialization) 
 
• Problems of Institutionalization (lack of clarity generated by society wrt 
expectations of a pattern) 
 
• At times, both co–exist (Twin Problems)