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Sick role is a term used in medical sociology regarding sickness and the rights and obligations of the affected. [1] It is a concept created by American sociologist Talcott Parsons in 1951. [ 2 ] The sick role fell out of favour in the 1990s replaced by social constructist theories.
By developing the “sick role mechanism” patients and doctors had to abide by a set of “rights” and “obligations” that would monitor entry into the sick role. The “rights” of a patient constituted an exemption from performing their respective social roles, such as going to work or housekeeping with the further exemption being ...
A well-known example is the sick role as formulated by Talcott Parsons in the late 1940s. In the transitory "sick role", a person is exempted from their usual roles, but is expected to conform to transitory behavioral standards, such as following doctors' orders and trying to recover.
The concept of the sick role has been critiqued by sociologists from neo-marxist, phenomonological and social interactionist perspectives, as well as by those with anti-establishment viewpoints. [11]: 76 Burnham argues that part of this criticism is a rejection of functionalism due to its associations with conservatism. The sick role fell out ...
In 1977 Frieda L. Gehlen offered a revised theory of hysterical contagion that argues that what is actually contagious is the belief that showing certain characteristics will "entitle one to the secondary benefits of the sick role." [1] It may be an unconscious decision on the part of the individual.
Parsons participated at the World Congress of Sociology in Toronto in August 1974 at which he presented a paper, "The Sick Role Revisited: A Response to Critics and an Updating in Terms of the Theory of Action", which was published under a slightly different title, "The Sick Role and the Role of the Physician Reconsidered", in 1975. [162]
Freidson notes that the role of medicine had increased in American society taking over roles that had previously been filled by religious concepts. [ 4 ] : 248 Citing Thomas Szasz , e argues that defining problems as medical problems rather than moral one's risks removing individuals rights to judge moral matters oneself drawing comparison to ...
Effective care for the sick allows people to remain productive and continue contributing to society. Care work is essential to well-being.Without care and nurturing, it is thought that children cannot develop into high-functioning individuals and will have difficulty as adults maintaining (or expanding) their well-being and productivity. [3]