Motivational Pluralism in Human Species. Recent contributions from experimental social science

Abstract

Rational Choice Theory has made crucial contributions for the study of social phenomena. However, the utilization of false or too simple assumptions supposes an important limitation in this sense. This paper begins with a refusal of the common adoption of a motivationally monist point of view in which self-interest is the only motivation capable of explaining social action.

In this paper, first, I offer a general overview of the most important kinds of human motivation identified by the specialized literature. Then, I focus on  the quantitatively most important one: strong reciprocity. The paper finishes with a discussion about the possibility of incorporating plural motivations in formal models.