1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910170966003321

Titolo

Rational choice theory : resisting colonization / / edited by Margaret S. Archer and Jonathan Q. Tritter

Pubbl/distr/stampa

London, : Routledge, 2000

ISBN

1-134-54652-1

1-134-54653-X

1-299-45866-1

0-203-18967-1

1-280-35441-0

9786610354412

0-203-13389-7

Edizione

[1st ed.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xii, 257 pages)

Collana

Critical realism : interventions

Altri autori (Persone)

ArcherMargaret S (Margaret Scotford)

TritterJonathan Q. <1965->

Disciplina

301.01

Soggetti

Rational choice theory

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

pt. 1. Rationality -- pt. 2. Individualism -- pt. 3. Temporality.

Sommario/riassunto

Rational Choice Theory is flourishing in sociology and is increasingly influential in other disciplines. Contributors to this volume are convinced that it provides an inadequate conceptualization of all aspects of decision making: of the individuals who make the decisions, of the process by which decisions get made and of the context within which decisions get made. The ciritique focuses on the four assumptions which are the bedrock of rational choice: rationality: the theory's definition of rationality is incomplete, and cannot satisfactorily incorporate norms and emotions individualism: rational choice is based upon atomistic, individual decision makers and cannot account for decisions made by ;couples', 'groups' or other forms of collective action process: the assumption of fixed, well-ordered preferences and 'perfect information' makes the theory inadequate for situations of change and uncertainty aggregation: as methodological individualists, rational



choice theorists can only view structure and culture as aggregates and cannot incorporate structural or cultural influences as emergent properties which have an effect upon decision making. The critique is grounded in discussion of a wide range of social issues, including race, marriage, health and education.