Goal rationality

From Geography

To interpretate human behaviour Max Weber designed several ideal types. These ideal types are simplified models of social activities. ideal types are ideas of action so they are not moral: they don’t represent good or bad types of action. These ideal types are extrapolations of selected aspects of action which form a intelligible complex in which we can understand human actual behaviour. (Campbell ,1981, p.175). Important note is that the way people are acting can be different but there are principles of action that can remain the same (ideal types). In total there are four ideal types: goal rational-, value-rational-, affective- and traditional action. We are going deeper in goal rational action.

Max Weber defines goal rational action as acting where expectations of others behaviour are being used to make rational consideration for reaching your own goal. Who is acting goal rational is pointing on relations between goals, instruments and side-effects. Possible instruments for reaching your goal are calculated on effectivity. Besides that goals are compared with expected side effects. Finally the relative importance of alternative goals can be considered. The goal rational ideal type comes from a utilitarian point of view, in which people choose the best means to reach the goals they set for themselves. Apart from effectiveness , efficiency is also an important way to choose means. The costs in terms of time, money and effort that are made to reach a goal must be as low as possible. Ergo: goal rational acting is an instrumental form of rationality; effectiveness of relation between instrument and goal plays a central role (Campbell, 1981)

Geographical example of goal rational acting. Travelling to Nijmegen. Which travelmode I will choose?

By car? Travel time is short (++). Fuel: Expensive (--). This option is not efficient due to the high costs.

By train? Travel time little longer than by car (+). Free public transport (++). This option is efficient due to low costs and time.

By bicycle? Travel time much longer (--). Free (++). This option is inefficient, due to a long travel time.

All these options are effective, since one will arrive in Nijmegen sooner or later. Efficiency, however, differs greatly between the options. Only the train consumes little time and money and is therefore the most effective and efficient option. Taking aspects of travel time and costs into consideration I will go by train to Nijmegen. NB. These aspect are for me important. Aspects will differ for each person.

References

• Campbell, T. (1981). Seven Theories of Human Society. Clarendon Press: Oxford.

Contributors

page enhanced and links added by --SusanVerbeij 08:05, 5 October 2011 (UTC)

Edited by Bert Hegger (4080572), on September 19th 2012.