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Bounded rationality: the two cultures

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  • Konstantinos V. Katsikopoulos

Abstract

Research on bounded rationality has two cultures, which I call 'idealistic' and 'pragmatic'. Technically, the cultures differ on whether they (1) build models based on normative axioms or empirical facts, (2) assume that people's goal is to optimize or to satisfice, (3) do not or do model psychological processes, (4) let parameters vary freely or fix them, (5) aim at explanation or prediction and (6) test models from one or both cultures. Each culture tells a story about people's rationality. The story of the idealistic culture is frustrating, with people in principle being able to know what they should do, but in practice systematically failing to do it. This story makes one hide in books for intellectual solace or surrender to the designs of someone smarter. The story of the pragmatic culture is empowering: If people are educated to use the right tool in the right situation, they do well.

Suggested Citation

  • Konstantinos V. Katsikopoulos, 2014. "Bounded rationality: the two cultures," Journal of Economic Methodology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(4), pages 361-374, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jecmet:v:21:y:2014:i:4:p:361-374
    DOI: 10.1080/1350178X.2014.965908
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    Cited by:

    1. Marchionni, Caterina & Reijula, Samuli, 2018. "What is mechanistic evidence, and why do we need it for evidence-based policy?," SocArXiv 4ufbm, Center for Open Science.
    2. Andreas Ortmann & Leonidas Spiliopoulos, 2017. "The beauty of simplicity? (Simple) heuristics and the opportunities yet to be realized," Chapters, in: Morris Altman (ed.), Handbook of Behavioural Economics and Smart Decision-Making, chapter 7, pages 119-136, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Samuli Reijula & Jaakko Kuorikoski & Timo Ehrig & Konstantinos Katsikopoulos & Shyam Sunder, 2018. "Nudge, Boost, or Design? Limitations of behaviorally informed policy under social interaction," Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy, Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics (SABE), vol. 2(1), pages 99-105, March.
    4. Karaliopoulos, Merkouris & Katsikopoulos, Konstantinos & Lambrinos, Lambros, 2017. "Bounded rationality can make parking search more efficient: The power of lexicographic heuristics," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 28-50.
    5. Becker, Kai Helge, 2016. "An outlook on behavioural OR – Three tasks, three pitfalls, one definition," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 249(3), pages 806-815.
    6. repec:hal:pseose:hal-02057279 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. David Tucket & Antoine Mandel & Diana Mangalagiu & Allen Abramson & Jochen Hinkel & Konstantinos Katsikopoulos & Alan Kirman & Thierry Malleret & Igor Mozetic & Paul Ormerod & Robert Elliot Smith & To, 2015. "Uncertainty, Decision Science, and Policy Making: A Manifesto for a Research Agenda," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-02057279, HAL.
    8. Damgaard, Mette Trier & Nielsen, Helena Skyt, 2018. "Nudging in education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 313-342.
    9. Pere Mir-Artigues, 2022. "Combining preferences and heuristics in analysing consumer behaviour," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 523-543, September.
    10. Petracca, Enrico, 2015. "A tale of paradigm clash: Simon, situated cognition and the interpretation of bounded rationality," MPRA Paper 64517, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Friederike Wall, 2024. "Incomplete incentive contracts in complex task environments: an agent-based simulation with minimal intelligence agents," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 19(3), pages 523-552, July.
    12. Jaspersen, Johannes G. & Montibeller, Gilberto, 2020. "On the learning patterns and adaptive behavior of terrorist organizations," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 282(1), pages 221-234.
    13. Gallice, Andrea, 2017. "An approximate solution to rent-seeking contests with private information," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 256(2), pages 673-684.
    14. Katsikopoulos, Konstantinos V., 2016. "On the role of psychological heuristics in operational research; and a demonstration in military stability operationsAuthor-Name: Keller, Niklas," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 249(3), pages 1063-1073.
    15. Funke, Katja & Hirschauer, Norbert & Peth, Denise & Mußhoff, Oliver & Becker, Oliver Arránz, 2019. "Can personality traits explain compliance behaviour? - A study of compliance with water-protection rules in German agriculture," SocArXiv jnexr, Center for Open Science.

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