The ‘Structure of Social Action’ was propounded by:

The Structure of Social Action was propounded by Talcott Parsons. It was published in 1937 and is considered one of the most influential works in sociology. In the book, Parsons argues that social action can be understood as a process of goal-directed behavior. He identifies four basic elements of social action:

• Ends: The goals that the actor is trying to achieve.
• Means: The resources that the actor has available to achieve their goals.
• Conditions: The constraints that the actor faces in achieving their goals.
• Norms: The social rules that guide the actor's behavior.

Parsons argues that these four elements interact with each other to produce social action. He also argues that social action can be understood as a system, in which the different elements are interrelated and interdependent.

The Structure of Social Action was a major contribution to sociology. It helped to shape the way that sociologists think about social action and it is still widely read and studied today.

Here are some of the key concepts that Parsons introduced in The Structure of Social Action:

• Action theory: A theory of social action that emphasizes the subjective meaning of action.
• Voluntarism: The idea that social action is based on the actor's free will.
• The four-function paradigm: A model of social systems that identifies four basic functions that all systems must perform: adaptation, goal attainment, integration, and latency.
• Pattern variables: A set of dichotomous variables that Parsons used to describe the different orientations that actors can have towards social action.

The Structure of Social Action was a highly influential work that had a major impact on the development of sociology. It is still widely read and studied today, and it continues to be cited by sociologists around the world.

Questions Asked in

2012 December UGC NET  in Social Work Paper 2 -Q-1