Sociology I · 10 marks · 150 words

Discuss Parsons' AGIL schema as a framework for analysing social systems.

Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2025

Talcott Parsons

Syllabus: Sociological Thinkers: (a) Karl Marx- Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle. (b) Emile Durkheim- Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society. (c) Max Weber- Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. (d) Talcolt Parsons- Social system, pattern variables. (e) Robert K. Merton- Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups. (f) Mead - Self and identity.

How toppers approached it

From 2 of the 3 answers · about 190 words · 100% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening2 of 2

Body

  • Points and prose1 of 2
  • Points1 of 2

Close

  • A summary2 of 2

The toppers’ answers

Ujjwal PriyankAIR 10 · CSE 2025 · 160 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Talcott Parson gave the concept of AGIL schema for analysing and explaining the social system.

Body · points and prose

  1. Adaptation refers to the social prerequisite to distribute the scarce resources of society for efficient social action.

  2. Goal attainment is an aspect of being motivated and oriented towards attaining goal of social action.

  3. Integration is used to explain the social system and the consensus it maintains through solidarity.

  4. Latency and Pattern management is an internal aspect to maintain

Social cohesion through cultural capital.

Sub-system of social system

Economic APolitical G
culture LSocial I system

(*) The various sub-systems of the social system can be explained via AGIL framework.

(1) There is an equilibrium between various sub system and they maintain boundary with each other

(2) At the level of system, the various functional pre-requisite describe various systems.

Diagram
A → organismic G → Personality I → social system L → Fiduciary

Close · a summary

Thus, AGIL schema explains Social action and system through boundary maintenance.

More on Talcott Parsons

The social system, AGIL and the pattern variables.

All Sociology I questions on Talcott Parsons