Parsons argues that since the sick are unable to fulfill their normal societal roles, their sickness weakens the society. If the sick person stays ill longer than is appropriate (malingers), they may be stigmatized. The responsibility of the sick person is twofold: to try to get well and to seek technically competent help from a physician. The exemption also requires legitimization by a physician that is, a physician must certify that the illness is genuine. However, this exemption is temporary and relative to the severity of the illness. The sick person also has the right of being exempt from normal social roles they are not required to fulfill the obligation of a well person and can avoid normal responsibilities without censure. To start with, they have not chosen to be sick and should not be treated as responsible for their condition. Talcott Parsons (1951) was the first to discuss this in terms of the sick role: patterns of expectations that define appropriate behavior for the sick and for those who take care of them.Īccording to Parsons, the sick person has a specific role with both rights and responsibilities. FunctionalismĪccording to the functionalist perspective, health is vital to the stability of the society, and therefore sickness is a sanctioned form of deviance. You may prefer just one of the theories that follow, or you may find that combining theories and perspectives provides a fuller and more accurate picture of how we experience and understand health and wellness. Apply functionalist, conflict theorist, and symbolic interactionist perspectives to health issuesĮach of the three major sociological theoretical perspectives approach the topics of health, illness, and medicine differently.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |