, ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁roles ▁that ▁they ▁play . ▁The ▁pattern ▁variables ▁are ▁what ▁he ▁called ▁the ▁characteristics ▁that ▁are ▁associated ▁with ▁each ▁kind ▁of ▁interaction . ▁ ▁An ▁interaction ▁can ▁be ▁character ized ▁by ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ident ifiers ▁of ▁each ▁contrast ive ▁pair : ▁ ▁affect ivity   – ▁affect ive ▁neutral ity ▁ ▁self - orientation   – ▁collect ivity - orientation ▁ ▁universal ism   – ▁particular ism ▁ ▁as cription   – ▁achiev ement ▁ ▁specific ity   – ▁diffus ity ▁ ▁Leg acy ▁From ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁Par s ons ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁famous ▁and ▁most ▁influ ential ▁but ▁also ▁most ▁controvers ial ▁soci olog ists ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁particularly ▁in ▁the ▁US . ▁His ▁later ▁works ▁were ▁met ▁with ▁criticism ▁and ▁were ▁generally ▁dismiss ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁by ▁the ▁view ▁that ▁his ▁theories ▁were ▁too ▁abstract , ▁in access ible , ▁and ▁soci ally ▁conserv ative . ▁ ▁Rec ently , ▁interest ▁has ▁increased ▁in ▁Par s ons ' ▁ideas ▁and ▁especially ▁often - over look ed ▁later ▁works . ▁Att empt s ▁to ▁rev ive ▁his ▁thinking ▁have ▁been ▁made ▁by ▁Par s ons ian ▁soci olog ists ▁and ▁social ▁scient ists ▁like ▁Jeff rey ▁Alexander , ▁Bry an ▁Turner , ▁Richard ▁Mün ch , ▁and ▁Roland ▁Robert son , ▁and ▁U ta ▁Ger hardt ▁has ▁written ▁about ▁Par s ons ▁from ▁a