3.1.1 Rational Theory

• Rational Theory assumes decisions are made through emotional intuition rather than rational calculation.

  False
• What are actors in Rational Theory referred to as?

  Entities maximizing utility
• Rational Theory assumes actors are self-interested and seek to maximize personal or group utility
• What is the core assumption of Marxism in decision-making?

  Class interests
• In Rational Theory, actors make decisions based on self-interest to maximize their utility
• Rational Theory assumes that all actors are equally rational and self-interested.


  True
• Match the paradigm with its core assumptions:

  Rational Choice ↔️ Self-interest, rationality

  Marxism ↔️ Class struggle, economic determinism

  Structuralism ↔️ Structures shape behavior
• What is the central concept of Game Theory in Rational Theory?

  Nash Equilibrium
• What is the core assumption of Rational Theory in comparative politics?

  Maximizing utility through rationality
• What is one key assumption of Rational Theory regarding actor behavior?

  Self-interest
• Rational Theory emphasizes class struggle as the primary driver of political behavior.

  False
• What is the central idea of Rational Theory?

  Utility maximization through rationality
• How does an individual actor make decisions in Rational Theory?

  Rational calculation of personal costs and benefits
• What types of actors are studied in Rational Theory?

  Individuals, groups, states
• Match the actor type with their decision-making process in Rational Theory

  1️⃣ Individual | Rational calculation of personal costs and benefits

  2️⃣ Group | Collective decision-making to benefit the group

  3️⃣ State | Policies guided by national interest and international norms
• One key assumption of the Rational Choice Paradigm is that individuals maintain consistent preferences
• A limitation of the Rational Choice Paradigm is that it neglects emotional and social factors
• What does the Prisoner's Dilemma demonstrate in Game Theory?

  Suboptimal collective outcomes
• Match the application of Rational Theory with its description:

  Voting Behavior ↔️ Voters make choices based on a cost-benefit analysis to maximize personal utility

  Interest Group Politics ↔️ Interest groups mobilize resources to influence policy decisions

  International Relations ↔️ States make foreign policy decisions based on national interest

  Bureaucratic Politics ↔️ Bureaucrats maximize budgets and influence
• Rational Theory's assumptions of complete information and stable preferences are often considered unrealistic
• What is the core assumption of Rational Theory in comparative politics?

  Actors maximize their utility
• What is the primary decision-making process in Rational Theory?

  Cost-benefit analysis
• Self-interest is a key characteristic of actors in Rational Theory.

  True
• What is the core focus of Marxism as compared to Rational Theory?

  Class struggle
• In Rational Theory, individual actors make decisions based on the rational calculation of personal costs and benefits
• Match the actor type with its decision-making process:

  Individual ↔️ Rational calculation of personal costs and benefits

  Group ↔️ Collective decision-making to benefit the group

  State ↔️ Policies guided by national interest
• What is the core assumption of the Rational Choice Paradigm?

  Maximizing utility through rationality
• What is a strength of the Rational Choice Paradigm?

  Offers clear, testable hypotheses
• Game Theory studies strategic interaction between rational actors.
• Rational Theory assumes that decisions are made through rational calculation of costs and benefits.
• In Rational Theory, actors choose the option that yields the highest utility.
• What is a key characteristic of actors in Rational Theory?

  Self-interest
• A key characteristic of actors in Rational Theory is their pursuit of their own objectives
• States in Rational Theory are guided by national interest and international norms
• Utility maximization is a primary goal of actors in Rational Theory.


  True
• The Rational Choice Paradigm assumes that actors rationally calculate costs and benefits to maximize their utility.


  True
• What is the central concept of Game Theory in Rational Theory?

  Nash Equilibrium
• Rational Theory explains voting behavior by assuming voters act purely on ideological reasons.

  False
• Actors in Rational Theory are self-interested and seek to maximize personal or group utility
• In Rational Theory, behavior is predictable based on actors' preferences and constraints