he choice generally involves specifically defined behavior. In traditional societies, more ofthe relationships are diffuse. The third pattern variable is affectivity(expressive) or affective neutrality(instrumental). The issue here is simply whether the actor can expect emotional gratification in the relationship. Parson used the school system as an example of this choice. When a child first enters school theyhave already become accustomed to their affective relationship with their parents. The child soonrealizes, through socialization, that the relationship with the teacher is affectively neutral. In thisway the school institution teaches the child to tread a predominantly instrument path which is thetype of worker needed in a modern society.The fourth pattern variable is particularism(expressive) or universalism(instrumental). The choice here is between reacting on the basis of some generality or reacting on the basis ofsome particular relationship to a person or one’s membership in a group. Discrimination is a goodexample of choices being made on the basis of particularistic criteria rather than universalisticcriteria expounded by modern societies(Wallace and Wolf 1999).The final variable is collectivity(expressive) or self(instrumental). This is the choicebetween gratifying private interests or whether to fulfill some collective obligation or duty. Thosein the business world are preoccupied with self-interest when striving for profit. On the otherhand, a civil servant is expected to carry out their duties in the best interest of the public.Once Parsons had the pattern variable defined he then set out to further define thosevariables and reduce the lack of certainty in his theory of action about what goals actors wouldpursue. The AGIL model was his attempt to incorporate his theory propositions about the natureof goals. With the collaboration of Robert F. Bales, Parsons conducted experiments on leadershipin small gro...
