SOCIAL SCIENCES THEORIES

Rational choice theory explains social phenomena as outcomes of individual choices that can—in some

way—be construed as rational. Choices are “rational” if they meet some consistency criterion as
defined by a decision theory and are suitable to achieve specific goals, given the constraints of the
situation
e.g.
people might sell fresh fruits and vegetables, clothing, chickens, goats, books, and electronics. If you go to
a swap meet, you could spend your money on a new book, a video game, or simply a candy bar. Swap
meets are an example of rational choice theory.

Symbolic interactionism is a micro-level theory that focuses on the relationships among individuals

within a society. Communication—the exchange of meaning through language and symbols—is believed to
be the way in which people make sense of their social worlds.
the view of social behavior that emphasizes linguistic or gestural communication and its subjective
understanding, especially the role of language in the formation of the child as a social being.
e.g.
As humans and as members of a society, we learn to understand through our interaction with symbols,
including the letters of our language that make up words. For example, the word "cat" does not have
meaning in and of itself.

Structural Functionalism is a sociological theory that explains why society functions the way it does
by emphasizing on the relationships between the various social institutions that make up society (e.g.,
government, law, education, religion, etc).
The structural-functional approach is a perspective in sociology that sees society as a complex system
whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. ... Education, for example, has several
important functions in a society, such as socialization, learning, and social placement.
e.g.
Education, for example, has several important functions in a society, such as socialization, learning. Thus
one of the key ideas in Structural Functionalism is that society is made-up of groups or institutions,
which are cohesive, share common norms, and have a definitive culture.

Institutionalism is a general approach to governance and social science. It concentrates on institutions

and studies them using inductive, historical, and comparative methods. Social science, no matter how one
defines it, has from its inception put great emphasis on the study of institutions.
e.g.
is when an institution is given rights and powers that individual people do not have. An example of
institutionalism is the use of large institutions instead of smaller group homes for the care and
treatment of the mentally ill.