Paper Example on Sociological Insights: Parson's Social Systems and Merton's Middle-Range Theory

Introduction

The human world requires individuals to understand social systems and understand the progression in urban places. Parsons brought to light the discipline of sociology by providing a sociological view and significance of society's interpretation concerning the important aspects relating to the theory of social systems (Burns & DeVille, 2017). Similarly, the middle range theory by Robert Martin also provides a proper understanding of the analytical sociological systems and theories relating to a partial explanation of a phenomenon observed in various aspects of social domains (Kaidesoja, 2019). It also relates to Parson's explanations of causal mechanisms. They are considered important in 20th-century sociology and the 21st-century aspects of bureaucracy communication, deviance, social stratification, paying attention to the consolidation of the sociology of science, and codifying the existing illogical theories. Robert Merton argues about aspects regarding Social dynamics as well as aspects that enhance self-fulfillment in developing theories about sufficient causal depth of the knowledge about social systems (Burns & DeVille, 2017). There is an array of arguments made by Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton about social systems and how the theories interject human behavior with changes in society.

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Robert Merton's middle-range theory approaches a psychological perspective that theorizes and integrates empirical research and theory, which entails functionalism and many other conflict theories. On the other hand, Talcott Parsons's social systems theory focuses on how society can be organized in terms of action units and how individuals can execute the action units and define social systems as networks of actors and interactions between actors (Burns & DeVille, 2017). The primary function of Middle range theory define phenomena and the components of nursing science. It also makes connections between outcomes and care. Middle-range theory is a sociological concept that identifies characters and how they help set roles and portray an image of social status in an organized society or social structure. The theory analyses how structures compel citizens to commit crimes as well as the study of the strains that contribute to the process of criminal behavior. The theory also analyses how individuals perceive their needs and what makes them engage in criminal acts (Burns & DeVille, 2017). An example of Middle range theory is the theory of interpersonal relations by Peplau. One of the theories shows that middle-range theory focuses on specifying relations between one or more concepts. For that reason, the middle-range theory is a bridge between other theories. It helps enhance the understanding of current theories and relate them to actors and why individuals engage in crime (Burns & DeVille, 2017). Middle-range theory's importance is related to the structure of nursing knowledge and how theory generation is relevant in a disciplinary perspective, practice, and theory model.

Family Unit and Social Systems

Talcott Parson's sociological theories are majorly focused on contemporary American families and their contribution to societal structure. The theory's main aspects are associated with the conjugal family unit and what is composed of; children, parents, and the kinship system. The theory also outlined an array of notable changes associated with family function and linked with society and kinship units' current changes. A family system is a residential unit, and breaking up can be attributed to a deterioration of family values. Socialization is one of the primary aspects vital in enhancing a family unit and promoting values, attitudes, and actions considered to be suitable for every member of a family unit. Another vital aspect is the stabilization of adult personality. Parsons's social systems theory is majorly about subsystems, that is, an action unit (Burns & DeVille, 2017). As mentioned earlier, Talcott Parson's social system is categorized into four major components that include Parsons's social 16personalities system as well as a behavioral system. The primary aim was to play a crucial role in enhancing development from the grand theory's perspective. It is an aspect that integrates social sciences and makes it one theoretical framework that has one main goal, which is to utilize multiple social science disciplines in establishing one single universal theory about human relationships. The importance of the social system to social work is related to practice and how the practice can enable professionals to be holistically at checking client's conditions and letting the conditions with environmental factors as a means to improve the understanding of what clients face or experience during hardships and other issues (Burns & DeVille, 2017). According to the concept stipulated by Max Weber, there are at least four ideal types of social actions that relate to Talcott Parsons' social systems theory. They include social action, effective social action, value rational social action and traditional social action.

With regard to the social system by Talcott Parsons, society is viewed as a system. For that reason, his arguments were based on the fact that society has four basic or functional prerequisites that include goal attainment, adaptation, integration, and pattern maintenance (Kaidesoja, 2019). The aspects considered to be problems are certain rules to ensure that members of society survive. There is an array of structural-functional perspectives that Talcott Parsons, as a sociologist, was aligned with; structural, and functional perspectives (Kaidesoja, 2019). The theory emphasizes our society's need to attain three special needs; arousal, security, and autonomy.

There is a need to recognize the investigations associated with social scientists' view on social policy and how it formally relates to the law as well as with the customary practices that individuals no and which they consider to be vital in enhancing human behavior in society (Burns & DeVille, 2017). There is an array of arguments regarding the sociological perspective of human behavior. Still, Robert Merton provided an overview of the sociological theories associated with the middle range relating to the 20th and reflecting 21st-century human behavior (Kaidesoja, 2019). On the other hand, Middle range theory focuses on unifying all theories that explain sociological behaviors observed in families regarding social organizations as well as social change that revolves around the aspects mentioned above. Robert Merton focused on establishing middle-range theory to enhance empirical study on the intermediate general theories associated with social systems and how they particularly related to classes of social behavior and organizational change perspective (Kaidesoja, 2019). For that matter, the middle-range theory involves a close association of observed data as well as instructions regarding propositions that permit empirical testing of social behavior.

According to Sohlberg (2017), Robert Merton's middle-range theory establishes a bridge between current theories by breaking society into small parts and enabling individuals to study society to enhance the understanding of human behavior. According to the theory, all institutions are inherently good for society, considering that dysfunctions are important. As much as Parsons's sociology theory aims to solve society's problems, Robert Merton's middle-range theory focuses on discovering alternatives to dysfunction. If they are recognized, a proper understanding of institutions is enhanced in that institutions are considered relevant for enhancing human behavior (Sohlberg, 2017). Since most sociologists have the expertise, for instance, gender, race, crime, and population, middle-range theory develops a bridge to emphasize understanding human behavior and society by linking all aspects communicated by the current sociologists.

Parsons' social systems theory majorly focuses on giving an overall picture of how societies are structured and how the available systems fit together to enhance human behavior (Burns & DeVille, 2017). He emphasized the personality system, social system, and behavioral organization as a system (Sohlberg, 2017). The cultural system enabled Talcott Parsons to outline symbolic systems as religious beliefs, national values, and languages. Social systems enable him to outline role interaction as the basic unit of individuals' polarity in interacting with each other in all situations that include at least an environmental or physical aspect (Burns & DeVille, 2017). The actors' motivation is also communicated concerning the tendency to optimize gratification and the mediated terms' relation in a culturally structured system. He emphasized plurality, which means two or more, and in most cases, the actors can be individuals or collectivities (Burns & DeVille, 2017). He labeled two types of relationships, in personal or business-like instrumental, and outlined that both types of relationships exist and are mostly needed by society. According to Burns and DeVille (2017), Parsons established a relationship between a father and a mother in a family system. He also outlined that the mother's role should be expressive leadership to optimize the children's socialization as much as the father takes on the family's husband-father relationship and reputation. In that manner, Parsons focuses on traditional values in enhancing a family system.

Parsons's theory is more popular since it relates to various learning models in schools. It also relates to the characteristics of education vital in instructional learning and enhancing individual students' characteristics (Sohlberg, 2017). The characteristics are relevant during the learning process. Talcott Parsons's social system theory is a bridge to classical theory and a catalyst to the contemporary theories towering the US sociologists. Society is considered a social system that focuses on the system's four functions: integration, goal attainment, adaptation to the environment, and pattern maintenance (Sohlberg, 2017). The theory of action stipulated by Talcott Parsons's social system involves four main units; values, orientation, end goals/objectives, concrete situation/environment, and social actors, which include organizations, nations, and individuals.

Concerning social actions, choices are always considered to be constrained by norms and societal values. In that manner, the actors are given the freedom to act within specific cultural constraints. The actors make choices in the same way that education systems have provided a ground whereby students as actors can also design their preferred way of learning. Social relationships and roles in integrating individuals into society. Socialization transmits a society by enabling individuals to enjoy shared values, behavioral expectations, and norms.

Middle Range Theory and Nursing Theoretical Frameworks

As aforementioned, the middle-range theory is vital in solving psychological problems. It is a theory that can be used to treat postpartum anxiety and mood precisely on teetering on edge" (Beck, 2015). Middle-range theories are used to delineate the micro theory relevant to explaining a particular phenomenon (Smith, 2015). It is also noted that not only are the providers the kind of people in need of recognition of postpartum depression, but they also need to get education on symptoms and signs of PPD. The middle-range approach has its strength in the holistic approach of the post-delivery PPD among healthcare providers.