For an integrative theory of social behaviour

Theorising with and beyond rational choice theory

Datos Bibliográficos

ID8975983
AutoresTibor Rutar (0000-0002-5022-0373, Department of Sociology University of Maribor Slovenia, autor de correspondencia)
Año2019
Volumen49
Número3
Páginas298-311
Fecha de publicación2019-02-18
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal for the Theory of Social Behaviour (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0021-8308 • E-ISSN: 1468-5914
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/jtsb.12204
OpenAlexW2917070746
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas63

Most sociologists are not content with merely relating macrosocial phenomena to preceding macrosocial causes in their causal explanations of social phenomena. Instead they are seeking to provide (non‐reductive) microfoundations with which they can corroborate and make understandable the connection between macrosocial phenomena. In order to do so a theory (or theories) of human action is required. One such theory, rational choice theory (RCT), has long been viewed with strong suspicion in sociology. I show such suspicion to be partially justified. RCT cannot be a general theory of social behaviour. Nonetheless, there are important insights in various versions of RCT that should not be discarded. In order to improve upon RCT and move toward a more unified or integrative theory of action social‐psychological research has to be taken note of. I demonstrate how dual‐process theories and the research on heuristics can help sociologists move beyond RCT without contradicting some of its more basic insights

Action (physics · Economics · Epistemology · Heuristics · Microfoundations · Rational choice theory (criminology · Sociological theory · Sociology · Computer Science · Critical Realism in Sociology · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Power and Status Dynamics · Social Psychology