ST. ANDREW MONTESSORI AND HIGH SCHOOL INC.

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NANCAYASAN, URDANETA CITY, PANGASINAN
S.Y. 2020-2021

DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

DOMINANT APPROACHES AND IDEAS II: RATIONAL CHOICE AND INSTITUTIONALISM
Rational Choice Theory
The Development and Origin
• Rational Choice Theory is primarily a part of economic theory as well as that of social theory.
According to Catherine Herfeld, the ‘rational’ approach to things started around the dawn of the
Cold War. With the dawn of this new intellectual age, thinkers, economists, philosophers and
other prominent members of society have shifted to the ‘rational’ way.
• According to Blume and Easley, rational choice had been around ever since the rise of
capitalism through the rise of Adam Smith.
The Theory
• The basic premise of rational choice is that social behavior and attitude is the result of
individual actions and choices, where each individual bases his decision on rational
considerations.
• Rationality could take various forms, but applied to sociology, it becomes the identity of
society. It comes in close relation with the premise that society is the sum of all individuals. This
includes individuals’ dispositions and choices.
Institutionalism
The Development and Origin
• As a theory, it comes from the establishment of organizations throughout history that led to
the creation of what we call an institution. Examples of institutions are schools, hospitals,
correctional facilities and many other sectors of society. All of these sectors originate from the
gradual establishment of a structured body that governs over a certain point in society.
Michel Foucault
• Born in Poitiers in 15 octobre 1926
• Studied Philosophy at the Écolé normale superieure
• Became a professor of psychology and literature
• Wrote A History of Sexuality and Discipline and Punish
• Died of AIDS on 25 juin 1984

For Foucault, the purpose of institutions would be to create docile and

obedient bodies or citizens, thereby making society a subject of the power of institutional forces.
The Theory
• There are three important kinds of institutionalism:
• Old Institutionalism
• New Institutionalism
• Historical Institutionalism
According to William Richard Scott, institutions are social structures that have attained a high
degree of resilience. They are composed of cultural-cognitive, normative, and regulative elements that,
together with associated activities and resources, provide stability and meaning to social life.
1. Old Institutionalism
• Old institutionalism focuses on the effects of institutions, as well as general rules, schemes, and
factors, on the scale of the global or local economy. (Scott, 2008) This refers to the adaptation of
businesses to the whims of the local institutions such as the political body, schools, etc.
 2. New Institutionalism
• When talking about new institutionalism, this focuses on the sociological view on institutions, the
way these institutions cooperate with each other and how they affect society as a whole.
(DiMaggio and Powell, 1983) This is what we call the ‘social powers’ that influence the flow and
daily living of society.
3. Historical Institutionalism
• On the other hand, when one speaks of historical institutionalism, it traces the progress of both
socio-economic behavior in society through the growth and history of an institution. • The value
of historical institutionalism is that it shows how an institution can reflect the changes within
society, and how one need not to extensively pursue a conclusion based on multiple observations
on society, but rather can be focused on one body that sufficiently accounts for a proper
description of society’s progress.
Glossary
• Historical Institutionalism – it traces the progress of both socioeconomic behaviors in society through
the growth and history of an institution.
• Institutionalism – an approach that views institutions as humanly devised constraints that structure
political, economic, and social interactions.
• New Institutionalism – focuses on the sociological view on institutions, the way these institutions co-
operate with each other and how they affect society as a whole. (DiMaggio and Powell, 1983)
• Old Institutionalism – focuses on the effects of institutions, as well as general rules, schemes, and
factors, on the scale of the global or local economy. (Scott, 2008)
• Rational Choice – is a product of scarcity and demand the people to make the right and rational choice
to maximize the use of its resources. The basic premise of rational choice is that social behavior and
attitude is the result of individual actions and choices, where each individual bases his decision on
rational considerations.
References
Allingham, Michael (2002). Choice Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Amadae, S.M. (2003). Rationalizing Capitalist Democracy: The Cold War Origins of Rational Choice
Liberalism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
DiMaggio, Paul J. and Powell, Walter W. (1991) ‘Introduction’. In P. J. DiMaggio and W. Powell (eds.)
‘The New Institutionalism and Organizational Analysis’, pp. 1–38. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Meyer, Heinz-Dieter and Brian Rowan (2006) The New Institutionalism in Education. Albany, NY:
SUNY Press.
Scott, W. Richard (2008) Institutions and Organizations: Ideas and Interests. Los Angeles, CA: Sage
Publications.
Tilly, Charles (1984) Big Structures, Large Processes, Huge Comparisons. New York: Russell Sage
Foundations.
ACTIVITY: WRITE SHOP (Long Bond Paper)
INSTRUCTION: Write your reflection all about the following statements below:
1. Rationality is the identity of the society.
2. Being rational is being critical and logical.
3. The purpose of institutions would be to create docile and obedient bodies or citizens.
4. Institutions are social structures that have attained a high degree of resilience.

Prepared by:

REYNALDO C. PARIS, LPT

Subject Teacher