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Is Talk Really Cheap? Prompting Conversation between Critical Theory and Rational Choice

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  • Johnson, James

Abstract

Critical theory and rational choice theory share both overlapping concerns and parallel theoretical weaknesses. Specifically, both critical theorists and rational choice theorists are preoccupied with determining what rational can mean in the realm of social and political interaction. I show in a provisional way how game theory extends and deepens the critical theorists' basic intuition that unembellished strategic rationality cannot adequately sustain social and political interaction. And I suggest how critical theory identifies a mechanism underlying the force of the “cheap talk†that game theorists introduce in hopes of circumscribing the indeterminacy generated by their models. My goal is to stimulate productive conversation between what are typically considered discordant research traditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Johnson, James, 1993. "Is Talk Really Cheap? Prompting Conversation between Critical Theory and Rational Choice," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 87(1), pages 74-86, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:87:y:1993:i:01:p:74-86_09
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    1. Saayman, Melville & Krugell, Waldo F. & Saayman, Andrea, 2016. "Willingness to pay: Who are the cheap talkers?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 96-111.
    2. Allison Astorino-Courtois & Brittani Trusty, 2000. "Degrees of Difficulty," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 44(3), pages 359-377, June.
    3. Edward J. Bird, "undated". "Social Norms, Cultural Competition, and Welfare Reform: Scant Hope for the Collapsing Family," Wallis Working Papers WP7, University of Rochester - Wallis Institute of Political Economy.
    4. Bruno Frey & Alois Stutzer, 2000. "Happiness Prospers in Democracy," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 79-102, March.
    5. R J Ormerod, 2010. "OR as rational choice: a decision and game theory perspective," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 61(12), pages 1761-1776, December.
    6. Mario A. Maggioni & Domenico Rossignoli, 2021. "If it Looks like a Human and Speaks like a Human ... Dialogue and cooperation in human-robot interactions," Papers 2104.11652, arXiv.org, revised May 2021.
    7. Bruno S. Frey & Marcel Kucher & Alois Stutzer, "undated". "Outcome, Process & Power in Direct Democracy," IEW - Working Papers 025, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
    8. Michael Suk-Young Chwe, 1998. "Culture, Circles, And Commercials," Rationality and Society, , vol. 10(1), pages 47-75, February.
    9. Diana Panke & Gurur Polat & Franziska Hohlstein, 2021. "Satisfied or not? Exploring the interplay of individual, country and international organization characteristics for negotiation success," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 403-429, April.
    10. Dimitri Landa & Adam Meirowitz, 2009. "Game Theory, Information, and Deliberative Democracy," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 53(2), pages 427-444, April.
    11. Denise L. Anthony & Douglas D. Heckathorn & Steven M. Maser, 1994. "Rational Rhetoric in Politics," Rationality and Society, , vol. 6(4), pages 489-518, October.
    12. Frey, Bruno S. & Bohnet, Iris, 1997. "Identification in democratic society," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 25-38.
    13. Heiner, Ronald Asher & Schmidtchen, Dieter, 1995. "Rational Cooperation In One-Shot Simultaneous Pd-Situations," CSLE Discussion Paper Series 95-03, Saarland University, CSLE - Center for the Study of Law and Economics.
    14. Yaohui Wang, 2023. "A blessing or a curse? China’s Arctic involvement and its environmental policy to prevent further climatic change and pollution," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(8), pages 1-19, August.
    15. Sally, David, 2005. "Can I say "bobobo" and mean "There's no such thing as cheap talk"?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 57(3), pages 245-266, July.
    16. Mario A. Maggioni & Domenico Rossignoli, 2021. "If it Looks like a Human and Speaks like a Human..," DISEIS - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Economia internazionale, delle istituzioni e dello sviluppo dis2101, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimento di Economia internazionale, delle istituzioni e dello sviluppo (DISEIS).
    17. Stephen J. Majeski & Shane Fricks, 1995. "Conflict And Cooperation in International Relations," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 39(4), pages 622-645, December.

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