SOCIOL 2S06 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: American Sociological Association, Harriet Zuckerman, Talcott Parsons
4 Jan 2016
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Document Summary
The personality system involves the orientation and motivation of an individual. Parsons thought this system was controlled by the cultural system and the social system (due to the hierarchy). The personality system is passive and externally controlled. It is also connected to need-dispositions (the basic component of an individual personality). These are the drives that are shaped by the social setting. We are driven to seek approval/love through social relationships. Driven by internalized norms and values to respect cultural standards of behaviour. Driven by learned role expectations to give and receive appropriate responses during social interaction. The behavioural organism is just the body of an individual. Parsons didn"t say much about this action system. He included because the behavioural organism (bo) because it provides the basis for the other systems. The bo is affected by the learning and conditioning of the individual. What we do with our bodies is going to be affected by our culture.
