PARSON'S PATTERN VARIABLES

PARSON'S PATTERN VARIABLES

Talcott  Pearson is considered as one of the founding fathers of sociology, he developed a theory of pattern variables refers to a dichotomy that describes alternatives of actions between which each person or group has to choose in every situation. The actions are shaped by three systems;

1.     The personality system.

2.     The cultural system. and 

3.     The social system.

Parson's Pattern Variables

1.     AFFECTIVITY/AFFECTIVE NEUTRALITY: Emotional impulses are gratified e.g. a child is allowed to show love for his parents.

Affective Neutrality; Emotional impulses are inhibited e.g. a bureaucrat in an organization or a teacher grading papers, it is expected to be emotionally neutral.

2.     SELF-ORIENTATION/COLLECTIVITY ORIENTATION:  In self-orientation, action is based on the actors own self interest, needs and goals e.g. a student decide what to study in college based on his/her own interest.

Collectivity Orientation; action is based on what is best for the collectivity e.g. a child quit school to work to support the family.

3.     UNIVERSALISM/PARTICULARISM: Universalism connotes actions are based on general standards or universal law and moral goods e.g. the Supreme Court decide cases according to rules valid for the whole community.

Particularism; actions are based on the priority & attachment that actors play in the relationship at situation e.g. you gives support to a friend without considering whether he is right or wrong.

4.     ASCRIPTION/ACHIEVEMENT: In the process of ascription, action is based on given attributes (race, sex, age) for instance, being eligible for the draft or allowed to buy alcohol or vote because you are within a specified age.

Achievement; action is based on performance e.g. graduation from college based on completion of the requirement.

5.     SPECIFICITY/DIFFUSENESS: In specifity, action is based on specific criteria or roles e.g. clerk/customer role, teacher/student role, there are narrowly and defined

Diffuseness; open guidelines for action e.g. becoming friends with teachers, going beyond the clear boundaries of teachers/students.