Comprehending Human Economic Behavior Through a Multicultural Lens: Examining the Concepts of Homo Economicus and Islamicus

Author states that the validity of the homo economicus model has been challenged by substantial empirical evidence showing that human beings are not entirely rational in their economic decision making, and are prone to cognitive biases and sociological factors. Herbert Simon proposed the concept of “bounded rationality” to describe the limitations of human rationality. The behavioural economics movement also sought to incorporate psychological insights into economic analysis, to construct more realistic models of human behaviour. The validity of the homo islamicus model has also been questioned for being overly idealistic and not necessarily reflecting the actual behaviour of Muslim economic agents, who are profoundly shaped by the modern social context.