How do competence theories explain human behaviour?

In the philosophy of social science, competence theories explain human behaviour by positing that actions arise from internalized systems of rules or principles of rationality. Rather than focusing solely on external causes, these theories describe an actor’s mastery of the norms, procedures, or rules that govern a specific activity.1

Competence theories function by modeling how an idealized actor—one who is perfectly rational or has achieved complete mastery of the relevant rules—would behave in various situations. By detailing these underlying norms, researchers can account for why individuals act in specific ways to achieve goals, such as maximizing profit in economic reasoning or adhering to linguistic structures.1

Prominent examples of this approach include:

• Game theory, which analyzes strategic decision-making.1
• Noam Chomsky’s theory of transformational grammar, which explores the rules governing language.1
• Jürgen Habermas’s theory of communicative competence, which examines the norms of rational discourse.1

These theories highlight a fundamental distinction in social science, as they focus on the rule-following nature of meaningful human action.1