Rational Choices in Irrational Lives

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the resurgent rise in social psychology of the questioning of rational choice in everyday life. It argues that rational choice can explain everyday behaviour only to the extent that the behaviour(s) under consideration can be said to flow from reasoned deliberation. The paper reviews conceptions of rationality; examines the concept of behaviour in and finally discusses the limits to which rational choice can be used to explain behaviour in everyday life.

Table of Contents:
Rationality and Rational Choice
A Question of Behaviour
Individual Behaviour
Group Behaviour
Spontaneous Behaviour
Premeditated Behaviour
Rational Choices, Everyday
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Questions of the extent to which rational choice can explain behaviour in everyday life are arguably ones of relatively recent creation. Aristotle arguably took for granted the fact that rational choices explained actions or behaviour. In book seven of his Nicomachean Ethics he clearly delineates that goals come from character, which he deems the non-rational part of humans, while action and the choices of ways to proceed toward those goals, ones choice of action or behaviour, flow from the intellect - the rational part of individuals. The Enlightenment thinkers developed his position and more than held to his commitment to rationality. The primacy they accorded reason, and humanity's ability to reason, played a great part in the formation of the Enlightenment ideal of rationality."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Barnes, Trevor J. and Eric Sheppard, "Is there a place for the rational actor? A geographical critique of the rational choice paradigm", Economic Geography, 68(1) January, 1992
• Becker, Gary, Human Capital: theoretical and empirical analysis, London: University of Chicago Press, 1975
• Chater, Nick and Mike Oaksford, "The Rational Analysis of Mind and Behaviour", Synthese, 122 (1/2), 2000
• Hardin, Garret, "The Tragedy of the Commons", Science, 162(3859), December 13, 1968
• Heyer, Judith, Frances Stewart, et al., Group Behaviour and Development: is the Market Destroying Cooperation? Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002

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