SOCI 70 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Unintended Pregnancy, Falsifiability
Lecture 5
III. Social Interaction
A. Rational Choice Theory:
- theory about individual behavior, we use it as a framework to see every action we
engage in
- we can determine the value of objects and assess value of objects and actions
seies ould ou athe
- we make decisions based on which maximizes utility (value) for yourself
- Utilitarianism
o ethical system that says the morally correct action is always the one that
maximizes utility (greatest good for the greatest number of people),
- Descriptive framework
1. Premises
• people ae self iteested, atioal, alulatig people are utility maximizing
actors
• rank options in terms of utility
• describes the outcome, not the process of choosing action
• used to describe individual action applied to social interaction
2. Social Exchange
• extrinsic or intrinsic rewards we pursue in social interaction
i. extrinsic rewards – good (material)/service someone can provide
ii. intrinsic reward – approval, prestige/love/nonmaterial
• we interact with one another because they can offer us something we want,
we offer something they want, characterizes all relationships
• explains altruistic acts - aodig to this theo thee a’t e a pure
altruistic act
• continue interaction as an incentive to get rewards from one another
• ex: conversation, relationships is an exchange of rewards
1) entails tension between balance and imbalance in social interactions
i. e at soeoe else to e i ou det ut ot to e i soeoe else’s
debt
2) inherent asymmetry (continual upset of balance) for an interaction to
continue
i. if e eah do oe fao e’e doe, oe peso has to do a fao
twice
3) Forces that sustain inequality sustain equilibrium on another
i. foes that eate alae also distu it
ii. Jack (low utility) and Kate (high utility) – balance: both stay in
relationship, imbalance: in order to maintain relationship (balance),
jack has to keep giving services/doing things to increase his utility
iii. Principle of least interest: the person who has the least interest in
relationship has more power (Kate has power over Jack)
3. Social vs. Economic exchange
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