This refers to a model of human behaviour which states that people act the way they do because they believe that the benefits of their actions will be higher than the associated costs. Proponents of the theory believe that people act in such a way that they are able to maximise their benefits while minimising their costs. A person committing a crime, for instance, will likely weigh the benefits and costs of such action. Rational choice theory, since it tries to model the general behaviour of individuals within any particular society, can be used to explain wider phenomena across any society.
