Читать книгу Our Social World - Kathleen Odell Korgen - Страница 76

Rational choice theorists see human conduct as self-centered, with rational behavior implying that people seek to maximize rewards and minimize costs. They give little attention to micro-level internal mental processes, such as self-reflection. Charitable, unselfish, or altruistic behavior is not easily explained by this view. Why would a soldier sacrifice his or her life to save a comrade? Why would a starving person in a Nazi concentration camp share a crust of bread with another? Proponents of rational choice counter the criticism by arguing that if a person feels good about helping another that, in itself, is a reward that compensates for the cost.

Thinking Sociologically

How can symbolic interaction and rational choice perspectives help explain everyday behavior? For example, how might a theorist from each perspective explain why people tend to hold the door for a person walking behind them? How would each of the previous micro theories answer this question a bit differently?