1. Talcott Parsons Sick Role
Talcott Parsons says that being ‘sick’ is a socially conditioned role.
He says we behave in a certain way once we know we are ‘sick’.

2. Talcott Parsons’ Theory: The Sick Role
Parsons said that society applies ‘rules’ to people who are ill.
The sick person AND the society have obligations:
Sick Person: To seek appropriate medical help AND to want to get better.
Society: To excuse the sick person from normal social roles (eg worker, mother etc) AND to not hold the patient responsible for their condition AND for the sick person to be taken care of
These obligations must be fulfilled for the person to be allowed to be in the ‘sick role’.
Do people always have someone to care for them? No
Does society always hold the person not responsible for their condtion? No, alcholoism, aids, etc.
Do people always seek medical help? No, clinical ice-berg shows us this.
Do patients always want to get better? No, they aresometimes naughty!! Hahaha

3. Talcott Parsons’ Theory: The Sick Role
The sick role is a functionalist theory
If this person is sick then they cannot put into society in the way they usually do.
Society
But they can receive from society in the same way.
It is a functionalist theory because he believed that society sees people as having a function and so if they don’t perform that function they are going to stop society functioning properly.
The sick role is therefore seen as a deviant role.
A functionalist would want the sick person to get better so they can start contributing to society again.

4. Talcott Parsons’ Theory: The Sick Role
If you were the person in the sick role, what roles would YOU be exempt from?
What would you be excused from having to do?
Society
List all the roles you have in life, and describe how you would be excused from doing them. Eg if you are a student you are excused from going to college or doing essays. If you are a worker, you are excused from going to work (sick pay – sometimes). If you are a friend you are excused from social arrangements without fear of losing your friends (hopefully)! If you are a wife/partner you are excused from giving attention to your partner.

5. Analysing The Sick Role
Lets go back to the obligations of the sick person: To seek appropriate medical help AND to want to get better.
How many people don’t seek medical help? What reasons do they have? (Hint, think of the clinical iceberg from unit 7)
Do people always seek medical help? No, clinical ice-berg shows us this.
Do patients always want to get better? No, they are sometimes naughty!! Hahaha. Interferes with their benefits. Institutionalised. Can’t cope without the medical help. Addicted to the medication (pain killers, no condition then no medication!)
Do sick people always want to get better? Describe situations when they don’t.

6. Analysing The Sick Role
Lets go back to the obligations of the society: To excuse the sick person from normal social roles AND to not hold the sick person responsible for their condition.
Are people always excused from their normal social roles? List situations when they are not.
Do people always have someone to care for them? No. mum with kids – has to look after them. Some people feel they have to go to work.
Does society always hold the person not responsible for their condition? No, alcoholism, AIDS, etc. STIs. Lung cancer after smoking
Does society always not hold the person responsible for their condition? List situations when they are.