The secret existence of expressive behavior

The rational choice assumption that any chosen behavior can be understood as optimizing material self-interest is not borne out by psychological research. Expressive motives, for example, are prominent in the symbols of politics, in social relationships, and in the arts of persuasion. Moreover, inst...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Critical review (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 1995-01, Vol.9 (1-2), p.25-36
Main Author: Abelson, Robert P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavioural sciences
Indexing in process
Rational choice
Secrecy
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Summary:The rational choice assumption that any chosen behavior can be understood as optimizing material self-interest is not borne out by psychological research. Expressive motives, for example, are prominent in the symbols of politics, in social relationships, and in the arts of persuasion. Moreover, instrumentality is a mindset that is learned (perhaps overlearned), and can be situationally manipulated; because it is valued in our society, it provides a privileged vocabulary for justifying behaviors that may have been performed for other reasons, and encourages the illusory belief in the universality of rational choice.
ISSN:0891-3811
1933-8007
DOI:10.1080/08913819508443369