{"id":"https://openalex.org/W2108041438","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1177/104346397009003002","title":"EXPLAINING EDUCATIONAL DIFFERENTIALS: TOWARDS A FORMAL RATIONAL ACTION THEORY","display_name":"EXPLAINING EDUCATIONAL DIFFERENTIALS: TOWARDS A FORMAL RATIONAL ACTION THEORY","publication_year":1997,"publication_date":"1997-08-01","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W2108041438","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1177/104346397009003002","mag":"2108041438"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1177/104346397009003002","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1177/104346397009003002","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1177/104346397009003002","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S25059752","display_name":"Rationality and Society","issn_l":"1043-4631","issn":["1043-4631","1461-7358"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["abdc-b","anvur-class-a","anvur-scientific","cwts-core","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-70","russia-white-list-2"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320017","host_organization_name":"SAGE Publishing","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320017"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["SAGE Publishing"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Rationality and Society","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5078226000","display_name":"Richard Breen","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9718-0743","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9718-0743"]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Richard Breen","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5069735487","display_name":"John H. Goldthorpe","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1131-2619","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1131-2619"]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"John H. Goldthorpe","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":{"value":3650,"currency":"USD","value_usd":3650},"apc_paid":null,"fwci":28.2824,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":2227,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.99547426,"is_in_top_1_percent":true,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":99,"max":100},"biblio":{"volume":"9","issue":"3","first_page":"275","last_page":"305"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12088","display_name":"Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies","score":0.9502000212669373,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12088","display_name":"Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies","score":0.9502000212669373,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10674","display_name":"School Choice and Performance","score":0.029400000348687172,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3304","display_name":"Education"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11895","display_name":"Cultural Capital and Social Class","score":0.01590000092983246,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/educational-differences","display_name":"educational differences","score":0.7649999856948853},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/gender-differences","display_name":"gender differences","score":0.8320000171661377},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/educational-attainment","display_name":"educational attainment","score":0.8709999918937683},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/rational-choice","display_name":"rational choice","score":0.6899999976158142},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/educational-decision-making","display_name":"educational decision-making","score":0.6480000019073486}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C44725695","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q288156","display_name":"Normative","level":2,"score":0.7440708875656128},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C9114305","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1428317","display_name":"Situational ethics","level":2,"score":0.7048571705818176},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777212361","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5127848","display_name":"Class (philosophy)","level":2,"score":0.5349147915840149},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780791683","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846785","display_name":"Action (physics)","level":2,"score":0.5158921480178833},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C90673727","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q901718","display_name":"Product (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.48278748989105225},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779297142","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3276412","display_name":"Educational attainment","level":2,"score":0.44213753938674927},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.3723779320716858},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.36765313148498535},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.3546799421310425},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C118084267","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q26110","display_name":"Positive economics","level":1,"score":0.3452848196029663},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162324750","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8134","display_name":"Economics","level":0,"score":0.34295719861984253},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.21674451231956482},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111472728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9471","display_name":"Epistemology","level":1,"score":0.1791163980960846},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C33923547","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q395","display_name":"Mathematics","level":0,"score":0.1786244809627533},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C121332964","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q413","display_name":"Physics","level":0,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2524010","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8087","display_name":"Geometry","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C50522688","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q189833","display_name":"Economic growth","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138885662","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5891","display_name":"Philosophy","level":0,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C62520636","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q944","display_name":"Quantum mechanics","level":1,"score":0.0}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1177/104346397009003002","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1177/104346397009003002","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1177/104346397009003002","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S25059752","display_name":"Rationality and Society","issn_l":"1043-4631","issn":["1043-4631","1461-7358"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["abdc-b","anvur-class-a","anvur-scientific","cwts-core","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-70","russia-white-list-2"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320017","host_organization_name":"SAGE Publishing","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320017"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["SAGE Publishing"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Rationality and Society","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:RePEc:sae:ratsoc:v:9:y:1997:i:3:p:275-305","doi":null,"is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/104346397009003002","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306401271","display_name":"RePEc: Research Papers in Economics","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I77793887","host_organization_name":"Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I77793887"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[{"score":0.8278999924659729,"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/4","display_name":"Quality education"},{"score":0.7578999996185303,"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/10","display_name":"Reduced inequalities"}],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":11,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W1607450123","https://openalex.org/W1991818273","https://openalex.org/W2006785666","https://openalex.org/W2059446604","https://openalex.org/W2059507463","https://openalex.org/W2135255093","https://openalex.org/W2322624748","https://openalex.org/W2469177940","https://openalex.org/W3117331109","https://openalex.org/W4229700946","https://openalex.org/W4302105314"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W4282831153","https://openalex.org/W1537727042","https://openalex.org/W2125028784","https://openalex.org/W2461495702","https://openalex.org/W2580938107","https://openalex.org/W2586351511","https://openalex.org/W2018086428","https://openalex.org/W2583036762","https://openalex.org/W4388371360","https://openalex.org/W4238007789"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"In":[0],"this":[1],"paper":[2],"we":[3,205],"seek":[4],"to":[5,64,112,150,193,208,229],"provide":[6],"an":[7,217],"explanation":[8],"of":[9,39,72,79,117,119,125,129,155,166,174,213,235,240],"three":[10,67],"widely":[11],"documented":[12],"empirical":[13],"phenomena.":[14],"These":[15],"are:":[16],"(i)":[17],"increasing":[18],"educational":[19,43,109,144,167,202],"participation":[20],"rates;":[21,30],"(ii)":[22],"little":[23],"change":[24],"in":[25,28,42,76,142,164,176,199,215],"class":[26,160],"differentials":[27,41,145],"these":[29,66],"and":[31,35,57,84,90,97,122,124,161,178],"(iii)":[32],"a":[33,48,53,151],"recent":[34],"very":[36],"rapid":[37],"erosion":[38],"gender":[40,162],"attainment":[44],"levels.":[45],"We":[46,180],"develop":[47],"formal":[49],"mathematical":[50],"model,":[51],"using":[52],"rational":[54],"action":[55],"approach":[56],"drawing":[58],"on":[59,114],"earlier":[60],"work":[61],"that":[62,146],"seeks":[63],"explain":[65],"trends":[68],"as":[69,100,104,171,231],"the":[70,77,80,85,107,115,126,143,172,211,220],"product":[71],"individual":[73,88],"decisions":[74,168,203],"made":[75],"light":[78],"resources":[81,177],"available":[82,111],"to,":[83],"constraints":[86],"facing,":[87],"pupils":[89],"their":[91,98,120,200],"families.":[92],"The":[93],"model":[94,221,237],"represents":[95],"children":[96],"families":[99],"acting":[101],"rationally,":[102],"i.e.":[103],"choosing":[105],"among":[106],"different":[108],"options":[110],"them":[113],"basis":[116],"evaluations":[118],"costs":[121],"benefits":[123],"perceived":[127],"probabilities":[128],"more":[130],"or":[131,140,186,191],"less":[132],"successful":[133],"outcomes.":[134],"It":[135],"then":[136],"accounts":[137],"for":[138,195,238],"stability,":[139],"change,":[141],"ensue":[147],"by":[148],"reference":[149],"quite":[152],"limited":[153],"range":[154],"situational":[156],"features.":[157],"So,":[158],"both":[159],"differences":[163,175,188],"patterns":[165,239],"are":[169,227,232],"explained":[170],"consequence":[173],"constraints.":[179],"do":[181],"not,":[182],"therefore,":[183],"invoke":[184],"`cultural'":[185],"`normative'":[187],"between":[189],"classes":[190],"genders":[192],"account":[194],"why":[196],"they":[197],"differ":[198],"typical":[201],"(though":[204],"have":[206],"something":[207],"say":[209],"about":[210],"role":[212],"norms":[214],"such":[216],"account).":[218],"Because":[219],"is":[222],"presented":[223],"mathematically,":[224],"testable":[225],"corollaries":[226],"easy":[228],"derive":[230],"other":[233],"implications":[234],"our":[236],"relevant":[241],"behaviour.":[242]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":108},{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":157},{"year":2024,"cited_by_count":126},{"year":2023,"cited_by_count":139},{"year":2022,"cited_by_count":153},{"year":2021,"cited_by_count":117},{"year":2020,"cited_by_count":110},{"year":2019,"cited_by_count":122},{"year":2018,"cited_by_count":110},{"year":2017,"cited_by_count":102},{"year":2016,"cited_by_count":99},{"year":2015,"cited_by_count":92},{"year":2014,"cited_by_count":99},{"year":2013,"cited_by_count":100},{"year":2012,"cited_by_count":72}],"updated_date":"2026-11-12T12:28:57.059296","created_date":"2016-06-24T00:00:00"}