Sumblog 9

Talcott Parson uses pattern variables to show social systems.  He believes that these variables show the structure of relationships.  He believed in five patterns:  Affectivity-affective neutrality, diffuseness-specifity, universalism-particularism, achievement-ascription, and collectivity-self orientation.  I thought the universalism-particularism variable was interesting.  This variable shows how someone is evaluated based on universalism or if the person gets special treatment for some reason or the other based on particularism.

I think many people would wonder about this variable.  Especially is you work somewhere where a relative of the boss person is raising faster in the company than other people who are doing more work.  I know my husband liked to work for a superintendant that what not his father because he did not want to have anyone think that favortism was happening.

I think affirmative action would be another example of this variable.  Should everyone be judged the same or should certain groups deserve to get extra points because of their race?  I think these variables do show how structures of relationships can differ.

I think this picture shows how universalism and particularism both do seem to affect each other.  By using both terms, the sign shows that we will lead a more stable life.  If something is just one way, we either get chaos or rigidity.