December

13, 1902 May 8,

1979
Born in Colorado Springs
Father:Edward S. Parsons;
professor in English atColorado
Collegeand vice-president
Mother: Mary Augusta Ingersoll

Education
undergraduate: Parsons studied biology, sociology and
philosophy atAmherst Collegeand received his B.A.
Biology 1924
attended the University ofHeidelberg, where he studied
the theories ofMax Webber(18641920).
London School of Economics
met a young American girl in the students by the
name of Helen Bancroft Walker whom he married on
April 30, 1927

Key Works
Harvard Professor of Economics, and
then Sociology, 1927-1973
Founded the Department of
Social Relations combining
Sociology, Anthropology,
and Psychology, 1944
The Structure of Social Action (1937)
The Social System (1951)
Social Structure and Personality (1964)
The System of Modern Societies (1971)
The Structure and Change of the Social System
(1983)

Parsons Department of Social

Relations

What has he done for Education?

Outlined what has become the accepted funcitonalist view of
education
He argues that "After primary socialization within the family, the
school takes over as the focal socializing agency."
"School acts a bridge between the family and society as a whole,
preparing children for their adult role."
"Theory not only formulates what we know, but also tells us waht we
want to know, that is, the questions to which an answer is needed."

Considered as a pioneer in the social system

The Action Theory
- The general theory for the study of society
- Developed his empirical approach based on
observation, reasoning, and verification
- The basic unit of study is the UNIT ACT
1. Actor or Agent
2. End

Voluntaristic Theory of Action

Involves these basic elements
1. Actors are individual persons
2. Actors are viewed as goal seeking
3. Actors also possess alternative means to
achieve goals

The Structure of Social Action

1. Actors are confronted with a variety of situational
conditions, such as their own biological makeup and
heredity as well as various external ecological
constraints, that influence the selection of goals and
means.
2. Actors are governed by values, norms, and other ideas
such that these ideas influence what is considered a goal
and what means are selected to achieve it.
3. Action involves actors making subjective decisions
about the means to achieve goals, all of which are
constrained by ideas and situational conditions.

Parsons Action Theory

1. An action composes of conditions of action
and means of action.
a. influenced by physical and social systems
b. Rationality
2. Freedom of choice is determined by the
normative orientation of action.
- Norms, beliefs and values are behaviors with
social meaning and sanctions
Understanding 1 &2: An action can be judged
based on: voluntaristic action, goal or
motivation, means and the condition or physical
system.

3. Human action can be understood by looking

at the motivation and values.
4. Motives are things within a person
e.g. need, idea, emotions
5. Motivation can be understood by looking at
Parsons 5 patterns:
1. Gratification- disicipline dilemma
2. Private vs. Collective Interest
3. Value Orientation Standard
4. Modalities of the social subject
5. Scope of Interest in the object

Parsons Voluntaristic Act