Rational Choice Theory - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org  ## Metadata - Author: **en.wikipedia.org** - Full Title: Rational Choice Theory - Wikipedia - Category: #articles - Tags: #game-theory #humans - URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rational_choice_theory ## Highlights - Rational choice theory refers to a set of guidelines that help understand economic and social behaviour.[1] The theory originated in the eighteenth century and can be traced back to political economist and philosopher, Adam Smith.[2] The theory postulates that an individual will perform a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether an option is right for them.[3] It also suggests that an individual's self-driven rational actions will help better the overall economy. Rational choice theory looks at three concepts: rational actors, self interest and the invisible hand.