Two Concerns about Rational Choice: Indoctrination and Imperialism

Bruno Frey and Stephan Meier

No 104, IEW - Working Papers from Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich

Abstract: Rational Choice Theory is often criticized to indoctrinate students in a negative, which is supported by some laboratory experiments. But do students of Rational Choice Theory really behave more selfishly? This paper presents evidence from a natural decision on voluntary donation at the University of Zurich. The analysis of the very large panel data set reaches significant different results than previous studies: Rational Choice Theory does not indoctrinate students. However, there are good other reasons to criticize Rational Choice Theory. The paper argues that ideas from other social sciences should be imported to improve the theory. Three elements are presented which lead to new and different policy conclusions.

Keywords: Rational Choice; Public Goods; Giving Behavior; Education; Behavioral Economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A20 H41 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hpe, nep-pbe and nep-pke
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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