Sick role

The Sick Role was a concept invented by Talcott Parsons in 1951. It is a term widely used in medical sociology. The theory outlined two rights of a sick person and two obligations:

Rights:


 * 1) The sick person is exempt from normal social roles
 * 2) The sick person is not responsible for their condition

Obligations:


 * 1) The sick person should try to get well
 * 2) The sick person should seek technically competent help and cooperate with the medical professional