Die Sozialisierung des Homo oeconomicus – Zur Neudefinition rationalen Handelns durch die experimentelle Methode

Abstract

Experimental economists have recently started to socialize the old homo oeconomicus by rigorously theorizing the role of social image and fairness in social action. Unfortunately, this intriguing development has not yet reached political science where most rational choice scholarship still rests on the assumption of narrowly self-interested economic man. By summarizing the latest findings of experimental research on social action, this article hopes to contribute to the ongoing debate about the merits of rational choice in political science in two ways. First, it illustrates that socializing the homo oeconomicus may solve prominent puzzles of earlier rational choice modeling while simultaneously maintaining the theoretical rigor of these models. Secondly, it underscores the added value of experimental work in political science.