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Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice pp 2564–2573Cite as

Integrating Rational Choice and Other Theories

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Synonyms

Choice theory; Decision making theory; Rational choice theory; Theoretical integration

Overview

This entry will discuss the integration of rational choice theory with other theoretical perspectives in developing a better understanding of why individuals engage in various criminal activities. Both the strengths and weaknesses of such integration will be examined.

Fundamentals/Historical Context

Rational Choice theory, also known as reasonable action theory or choice theory, is a perspective of human behavior that is based on the assumption that individuals will naturally make decisions of whether or not to act in a specific situation in order to maximize their pleasure or benefits, while minimizing potential pain or punishment. This perspective readily lends itself to integration with other theories of crime, given that it can be applied to virtually every type of activity (including all conventional activities as well). The fact that rational choice theory was originally...

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Recommended Reading and References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminal Justice, California State University, San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, 92407, CA, USA

    Stephen G. Tibbetts

Authors
  1. Stephen G. Tibbetts
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen G. Tibbetts .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Gerben Bruinsma

  2. VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Gerben Bruinsma

  3. Department of Criminology, Law and Society, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

    David Weisburd

  4. Faculty of Law, The Hebrew University, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel

    David Weisburd

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Tibbetts, S.G. (2014). Integrating Rational Choice and Other Theories. In: Bruinsma, G., Weisburd, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5690-2_400

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5690-2_400

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-5689-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-5690-2

  • eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law

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