RATIONAL-CHOICE-THEORY.pptx bahjbsdjabdj

FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES ONLY

1. What approach do make in making decision?

2. Rational Choice Theory

3. Choice An analytical tool to further elaborate on how an individual’s action forms the understanding of the nature of society.

4. Rational Choice Theory Rational Choice Theory is the view that people behave as they do because they believe that performing their chosen actions has more benefits than costs. That is, people make rational choices based on their goals, and those choices govern their behavior.

5. Some sociologists use rational choice theory to explain social change. According to them, social change occurs because individuals have made rational choices. For example, suppose many people begin to conserve more energy, lowering thermostats and driving less. An explanation for this social change is that individual people have decided that conserving energy will help them achieve their goals.

6. Assumptions Humans are purposive and goal oriented. Humans have sets of hierarchically ordered preferences, or utilities. In choosing line of behavior, humans make rational calculations with respect to: The utility of alternative lines of conduct with reference to the preference to the preference hierarchy. The cost of each alternative in terms of utilities foregone The best way to maximize utility.

7. Rationality is a pattern of choices, not just one choice. They calculate the costs and benefits of every action and choose the one with the best outcome. Every action can be ranked. Ranked means to put in order of importance, from best to worst. Rational Choice Theory adopts a different approach to the study of social actions and social systems. It begins from the viewpoint of the individual, rather than from several individuals interacting together, from social situations, or from groups.

8. Where does rational choice theory come from? Much of the ideas can be traced back to the economist Adam Smith. Smith, who wrote in the 1700s, tried to make sense out of how people come to make choices, especially on the aspect of economics.

9. Rational choice theory was developed further by an American sociologist George Homans, who in 1961 laid the basic framework for exchange theory, which he grounded in hypotheses drawn from behavioral psychology. During the 1960s and 1970s, other theorists ( Blau , Coleman, and Cook) extended and enlarged his framework and helped to develop a more formal model of rational choice.

10. These interactions are determined by weighing the rewards and punishments of every interaction. If the interaction results in approval, it is more likely to be repeated. Because social approval is a reward. But if the interaction results in a punishment, like social disapproval, it is less likely to be repeated. This may seem obvious to you, that you'll do something to get a reward, while you'll avoid something that will wind up in punishment. But this is the basic principle behind exchange theory. That the behavior of an individual in an interaction can be figured out by comparing the rewards and the punishments. Rewards can be social approval, recognition, money, gifts, or positive gestures, like a smile. While punishments consist of social disapproval, public humiliation, or negative gestures, like a frown.

11. Another main proponent of rational choice theory is James Coleman (1931-1995). Because of Coleman's focus on social theory as an agent of social change, he believes that the appropriate level for social analysis is at the micro-agent level. Coleman believes that individuals act purposively towards their desired goals, usually acting to maximize their utility, with their goals and utilities shaped by values or preferences

12. It is always worth considering whether action is rational or not. That is, it is not sociologically wise to assume that actions taken by others are irrational when we disagree with them. It may be that in the eyes of the individual taking the action, the action is rational, and RCT suggests we should look for such reasons. Even where other theories may work well, RCT may be useful because there is a rational element to much human social action. Whether it can explain all human action and provide a means of uniting and developing sociological theory is less clear.

13. Process Questions: How do you make your choices during the enhanced community quarantine and general community quarantine with reference to the rational choice theory? What decisions did the Philippine government enact during the pandemic? Why? During the pandemic, what has been considered the most important choice by the Philippine government in ranking their priorities: economic, social, cultural and health. Why?