Discuss Talcott Parsons's perspective on the shared set of expectations between the patient and the doctor. Be sure to discuss the "sick role" and the four dimensions of the sick role.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

For Parsons, sickness is more than a psychological issue, it is deviant behavior. In Parsons's argument, the doctor is a highly skilled professional who applies scientific knowledge to the patient's trouble. The patient seeks out the doctor and complies with the doctor's directives to get better. The four dimensions of the sick role include:
•    a sick person is excused from undertaking normal social obligations;
•    deviant behavior through illness is viewed as being caused by nature, and thus the sick person's neglect of social obligations is not considered a personal fault or an intentional act of deviance;
•    the sick role is legitimated by the person's being socially required to seek treatment for the illness; and
•    the sick person must comply with practitioners' instructions and follow general social norms like resting or taking medication, to get better as soon as possible, thereby exiting the sick role.