The British Journal of Sociology
Volume 49 No 2 June l998
pages 167-192
Abstract
Rational action theory (RAT) is not a highly unified intellectual entity. In the first part of the paper, varieties of RAT are distinguished in terms of three criteria: i.e. according to whether they (i) have strong rather than weak rationality requirements; (ii) focus on situational rather than procedural rationality; (iii) claim to provide a general rather than a special theory of action. In the second part, these same criteria are applied in a consideration of which version of RAT holds out most promise for use in sociology.
Keywords: Rationality; rational choice; social action; verstehen
John H Goldthorpe
Nuffield College, Oxford