Rational choice theory

A characteristic of human action is rationality and its more strictly behavioral basis, intentional / conscious action. Philosophy, the social sciences, and economics have each dealt with their own instruments, to specify the concept of rationality and, in the case of economic theory, of make it operational.

One of the most interesting results of these attempts is the theory of rational choice. This theory, based on the neoclassical version of economic theory, represents a model of human behavior. Recently it has found a field of diffusion also in sociology. Therefore, in this Psychology-Online article we will delve into the rational choice theory.

Index

1. What is Rational Choice Theory
2. History of rational choice theory
3. Rational Choice Theory in Criminology
4. The rational model in criminology

What is rational choice theory? The basic premise of rational choice theory is that each human behavior aims to maximize an interest

The objective of rational choice theory is thus to explain behavior, both individual actions and sequences of actions. According to this theory, for the action to be defined rational, three optimal conditions must be met:

1. First, the action in question it must represent the best means to fulfill wishes of the subject, given her beliefs. This condition implies that wishes have the requirement of coherence or transitivity.
2. In second place, beliefs must be rational, that is, they must be derived from the information available through optimal inference rules.
3. Third, the subject must invert a optimal amount of resources, such as time, energy, or money, to gather pertinent information. The optimal investment is determined by the wishes of the subject and previous beliefs about the costs and benefits of obtaining more information. Decisions that are considered more important require more investment.

The history of rational choice theory has its roots in the thinking of economists in the 19th century. At that time, as a result of hedonistic and utilitarian theories, it began to be considered that the individual decision making occurred based on the desire for gratification or fear of being penalized. In particular, economists, including Smith, Ricardo, and Menger, insisted that shortages resources, which characterized the socioeconomic environment, forced individuals to take decisions.

In addition to economists, some anthropologists were also precursors of this type of ideas. Malinowski, for example, conducted studies on the "Kula exchange", a particular ritual practiced in the Trobriand Islands to demonstrate that the obligation to give, receive and correspond form a kind of reciprocity for which the exchanged objects are assimilated to the person who has owned them, even if they have no use apparent.

Rational choice theory proselytized in the 1960s, only to experience a slight decline in the following decades. In the 1990s there was a reassessment based on the Coleman studies of social capital and voting behavior.

Rational choice theory in criminology, developed by the Cornish and Clarke criminologists, is the theoretical foundation on which situational prevention is based. The rational choice perspective assumes that the author of the act, or criminal, tries to extract some kind of benefit from her behavior. Therefore, the theory considers that the author makes decisions based on cost benefit analysis about the criminal opportunities that come your way.

For rational choice theory, the act, criminal or antisocial, includes a decision process and the making choices, made on the basis of time available, cognitive ability and information available. The premise is that the author's decisions, and the factors on which they are based, have a great deal of variability both during the different stages of maturation of the behavior and between different types of acts.

Cornish and Clarke, give special importance to the need to analyze the different decision-making processes and the decisions made by the perpetrators, distinguishing them by type of crime or treating separately the decisions relating to the different phases of participation in the act.

The main point of rational choice theory is that it considers the realization of a crime as a series of decisions and processes carried out by the perpetrator to commit that crime.

Cornish and Clarke present a true model that illustrates some of the decisions the author will make by choosing to commit different types of crimes. Taking as an example an apartment robbery, the author will ask himself questions such as the following:

• Which house is the best white?
• Do the neighbors watch each other?
• How difficult will it be to penetrate the house?
• What kinds of objects will be inside?
• How can I get away so fast?

According to this model, it is assumed that there is free will, the classical theoretical perspective, but there are some situational factors and antecedents that can predispose someone to crime. The background factors may include competencies and personal skills, education and the personality. Situational factors may include external pressures, drug addiction, and the vulnerability of the target.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Rational choice theory: what it is, history and examples, we recommend that you enter our category of Personality and Differential Psychology.

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