This setting lets you change the way you view articles. You can choose to have articles open in a dialog window, a new tab, or directly in the same window.
Open in Dialog
Open in New Tab
Open in same window
Open in New Tab
Open in same window
Journal of Economic Perspectives: Vol. 3 No. 4 (Fall 1989)
JEP Volume. 3, Issue 4 | 
Previous ArticleNext Article
Sign up for Email Alerts Follow us on Twitter
Full-text Article (Complimentary)
View Comments on This Article (0) | Login to post a comment
Previous ArticleNext Article
Expand
Quick Tools:
Print Article Summary Email Link to this Article Export CitationSign up for Email Alerts Follow us on Twitter
Explore:
Social Norms and Economic Theory
Article Citation
Elster, Jon. 1989. "Social Norms and Economic Theory."
Journal of Economic Perspectives,
3(4): 99-117.
DOI: 10.1257/jep.3.4.99
DOI: 10.1257/jep.3.4.99
Abstract
One of the most persistent cleavages in the social sciences is the opposition between two lines of thought conveniently associated with Adam Smith and Emile Durkheim, between homo economicus and homo sociologicus. Of these, the former is supposed to be guided by instrumental rationality, while the behavior of the latter is dictated by social norms. In this paper I characterize this contrast more fully, and discuss attempts by economists to reduce norm-oriented action to some type of optimizing behavior. Social norms, as I understand them here, are emotional and behavioral propensities of individuals. Are norms rationalizations of self-interest? Are norms followed out of self-interest? Do norms exist to promote self-interest? Do norms exist to promote common interests? Do norms exist to promote genetic fitness?
Article Full-Text Access
Full-text Article (Complimentary)
Authors
Elster, Jon (U Chicago)
JEL Classifications
011: General Economics
Comments
View Comments on This Article (0) | Login to post a comment
