Actors Processes Problems
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Individuals |
Exchange a)
Equal exchanges (Homans and group formation) b)
Unequal exchanges (men/women, students/teachers, etc) |
Cooperation
– under what circumstances will rational actors cooperate with one
another? When will they refuse
cooperation? |
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Collective
actors – corporations, organizations, states, etc. |
Decision
making a)
Maximizing b)
satisficing |
The
problem of collective interests (or, who guards the guardians). |
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Unintended
consequences – rational choices of individual actors can have unintended
consequences… 1)
education and grade inflation 2)
illegal goods – perverse incentives of law enforcement |
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The
problem of externalities – rational actors can impose the costs of their
choices on to others: 1)
corporations that pollute 2)
politicians, voters and budget deficits 3)
parents and children |
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Social
policy – how to manipulate the incentive structures within which actors
operate. |
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