ABSTRACT

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.

part |56 pages

Part I Rationality

chapter |17 pages

2 The bird in hand

Rational choice — the default mode of social theorizing

chapter |16 pages

4 Is rational choice theory ‘unreasonable'?

The neglected emotions

part |71 pages

Part II Individualism

chapter |18 pages

5 Social theory and the underclass

Social realism or rational choice individualism?

chapter |18 pages

6 (Ir)rational 1 choice

A multidimensional approach to choice and constraint in decisions about marriage, divorce and remarriage

chapter |15 pages

7 Switching allegiances

Decisions by schools to ‘opt out' to self-management

chapter |18 pages

8 Rational choice or ‘Hobson's choice'?

Intention and constraint in UK higher education

part |72 pages

Part III Temporality

chapter |20 pages

9 ‘I do'

A theoretical critique of Becker's rational choice approach to marriage decisions

chapter |16 pages

10 Decision-making as a process over time

The careers of home-located cultural workers

chapter |17 pages

12 ‘Race', 1 ethnicity and housing decisions

Rational choice theory and the choice—constraints debate

part |17 pages

Conclusion