Rational Choice Theory

<EM>Rational Choice Theory</EM> 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. <BR>The ciritique focuses on the four assumptions which are the bedrock of rational choice: <BR>rationality: the theory's definition of rationality is incomplete, and cannot satisfactorily incorporate norms and emotions <BR>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 <BR>process: the assumption of fixed, well-ordered preferences and 'perfect information' makes the theory inadequate for situations of change and uncertainty <BR>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. <BR>The critique is grounded in discussion of a wide range of social issues, including race, marriage, health and education.