Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (8)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Twomey, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Copyright © Cambridge Political Economy Society

research-article

Reviving Veblenian economic psychology

Paul Twomey*

*University of Cambridge

Abstract

Thorstein Veblen's seminal paper ‘Why is Economics Not an Evolutionary Science?’ (1898) is well known for its critique of rational economic man. However, rather than just criticise this model, Veblen developed an alternative, evolutionary-informed approach to understanding human nature, based partly on the ideas of Peirce, James and, later, McDougall. The aim of this paper is to show how recent results from a number of cognitive disciplines are beginning to reaffirm many of Veblen's core psychological assumptions. The paper argues that an active, multimodular and hierarchical approach to the mind can help provide a more integrative framework in which to examine economic behaviour.

Manuscript received January 27, 1997; final version received October 20, 1997.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Cambridge J EconHome page
J. Barbalet
Pragmatism and economics: William James' contribution
Camb. J. Econ., February 28, 2008; (2008) ben006v1.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Cambridge J EconHome page
M. S. Lawlor
William James's psychological pragmatism: habit, belief and purposive human behaviour
Camb. J. Econ., May 1, 2006; 30(3): 321 - 345.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.