1. Dating priorities Common discrepancy: females oriented towards responsibility, commitment and romance. Males oriented towards physical appearance and independence. Why? Biological essentialism? Socialization?

2. Dating priorities, contd. Rational / utilitarian explanation: Generalizable capital: skills, capacities and networks relevant in any or many contexts. Non-generalizable capital: skills, capacities and networks relevant only to particular settings.

3. Rational/utilitarian explanation: Methodological individualism –Propensities of individual actors (rational interests). –Study how these propensities aggregate: MarketsContractsHierarchies

4. Utilitarian / Rational Tradition II Homans and Olsen

5. Historical trajectory of Rationalist / Utilitarian Thought Important to social thinking in 18 th C. and through middle of 19 th C but fades out of sociology. Central to classical and neo-classical economics. Sociology influenced by Marx, Durkheim & Weber, then Parsons. Homans Bringing Men Back In.

6. Homans: Equality and Interaction Psychiatrists higher status Psychologists relatively lower status. In general: Pt: less likely to desire contact with Pl Pl: more likely to desire contact with Pt

7. Homans: Equality and Interaction, contd. W/I profession differences Hi status Pl: dont want to interact with Pt Lo status Pl: do want to interact with Pt Hi status Pt: do want to interact with Pl Lo status Pt: dont want to interact with Pl

8. Mancur Olson Problem of collective action: Groups do not act in their collective interest because while they each have an interest in benefiting from the collective good, they each also have an interest in exerting as little energy as possible. Solutions: –Power –Selective incentives –Small groups