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Why Sociology is Better Conditioned to Explain Economic Behaviour than Economics

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  • Henk Folmer

Abstract

This note analyzes the impacts of the fragmentation of economics into different schools of thought and of social science into the sub‐disciplines economics, sociology and psychology. Fragmentation is based on the assumption that it is possible to split the set of an individual's behavioural motives into separable and disjoint subsets. However, this assumption runs counter to the insights in psychology. Moreover, even if splitting up were possible, the different subsets of motives finally need to be checked on consistency and weighted so as to obtain a comprehensive description and explanation. Another serious drawback is that specification of empirical models on the basis of one school of thought or one sub‐discipline leads to omitted variables bias and hence biased estimators and tests. Finally, fragmentation may lead to a ‘pick‐and‐mix package’, whereby policy‐makers and politicians feel free to use what suits them. The social rationality model together with the methodological approach prevalent in modern sociology is presented as a framework for integrating the schools of thought in economics and the social science sub‐disciplines.

Suggested Citation

  • Henk Folmer, 2009. "Why Sociology is Better Conditioned to Explain Economic Behaviour than Economics," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 258-274, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:kyklos:v:62:y:2009:i:2:p:258-274
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6435.2009.00435.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhengtao Li & Henk Folmer, 2023. "Air pollution and perception-based averting behaviour in the Jinchuan mining area, China," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 70(2), pages 477-505, April.
    2. David Laibson, 1997. "Golden Eggs and Hyperbolic Discounting," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(2), pages 443-478.
    3. Li, Zhengtao & Folmer, Henk & Xue, Jianhong, 2014. "To what extent does air pollution affect happiness? The case of the Jinchuan mining area, China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 88-99.
    4. Stefan Mann, 2021. "Synthesizing Knowledge about Structural Change in Agriculture: The Integration of Disciplines and Aggregation Levels," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-14, June.
    5. Zhengtao Li, 2019. "Valuing Acute Health Risks of Air Pollution in the Jinchuan Mining Area, China: A Choice Experiment with Perceived Exposure and Hazardousness as Co-Determinants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-18, November.
    6. Tang, Jianjun & Folmer, Henk & Xue, Jianhong, 2015. "Technical and allocative efficiency of irrigation water use in the Guanzhong Plain, China," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 43-52.
    7. Danny Czamanski & Henk Folmer, 2011. "Introduction: some new methods in regional science," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 47(3), pages 493-497, December.
    8. Adam Rose & Henk Folmer & Peter Nijkamp, 2014. "Walter Isard’s Contributions to Environmental Economics and Ecological Economics," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 37(1), pages 107-122, January.
    9. Zhengtao Li & Henk Folmer & Jianhong Xue, 2016. "Perception of Air Pollution in the Jinchuan Mining Area, China: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-18, July.
    10. Kieran P. Donaghy, 2014. "Walter Isard’s Evolving Sense of the Scientific in Regional Science," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 37(1), pages 78-95, January.

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