Behaviouralism, or the behavioral approach, in political theory
marks a significant shift from traditional approaches, aiming to
make political science more empirical, scientific, and systematic
by focusing on observable political behavior.
Causes of Emergence
Several factors contributed to the rise of behavioralism:
• Dissatisfaction with Traditional Political Science: Many
political scientists felt that the traditional approaches,
focused on institutions, law, and philosophy, were too
descriptive and lacked the scientific rigor to address
contemporary political problems effectively.
• Impact of World War II: The devastating global conflict
exposed the limitations of traditional theories in explaining
large-scale political phenomena and prompted a desire for
more robust and empirical approaches.
• Migration of European Social Scientists: The influx of
European scholars trained in empirical methods to the
United States influenced the adoption of scientific
approaches in American political science.
• Emergence of the US and Soviet Union as Superpowers:
The geopolitical landscape shaped by the Cold War
demanded a more precise and scientific understanding of
international relations and political systems.
• Advancements in Social Science Research: Refinements in
survey techniques and the availability of research grants
facilitated large-scale empirical studies of political
behavior.
• Influence of other Social Sciences: Political scientists
sought to emulate the scientific rigor and quantitative
methods prevalent in disciplines like sociology and
psychology.
Core principles
• Focus on Observable Behaviour: This approach prioritizes
studying the actual actions and reactions of individuals and
groups in political contexts, rather than abstract theories
or formal rules.
• Emphasis on Empirical Research: Behaviouralism
emphasizes collecting and analyzing empirical data to test
hypotheses and develop theories about political
phenomena.
• Scientific Methodology: It advocates for adopting rigorous
scientific methods like surveys, statistical analysis, and
hypothesis testing to enhance the precision and reliability
of political research.
• Interdisciplinary Approach: It recognizes the
interconnectedness of human behaviour and encourages
integrating insights from other social sciences such as
psychology, sociology, and economics to better
understand political behaviour.
• Value-Neutrality: Behaviouralism strives for value-
neutrality and objectivity, aiming to conduct research
without personal biases or moral judgments influencing
the analysis.
Key proponents
Charles Merriam: Considered the intellectual godfather of
behavioralism, Merriam advocated for a systematic, evidence-
based study of political processes.
David Easton: Developed the eight “intellectual foundation
stones” of behavioralism, outlining principles like regularities,
verification, quantification, and systematization, aiming to
make political science more scientific.
Robert Dahl: His work emphasized the role of multiple interest
groups in shaping political outcomes (pluralism) and introduced
the concept of polyarchy to describe a form of government
open and responsive to citizens.
Gabriel Almond: A pioneer in comparative politics, he used
behavioral methods to study political systems across different
cultures and introduced the concept of political culture.
Herbert Simon: Introduced the concept of “bounded
rationality”, suggesting decision-making is limited by cognitive
constraints and available information.
Key features (or credo of behaviouralism, according to David
Easton)
According to David Easton, a prominent figure associated with
the behavioural movement, behaviouralism is characterized by
eight key assumptions or intellectual foundation stones:
1. Regularities: The belief that there are observable
uniformities in political behaviour that can be expressed as
generalizations or theories with explanatory and predictive
value.
2. Verification: The requirement that generalizations about
political behaviour must be testable through empirical
observation.
3. Techniques: The emphasis on utilizing rigorous and
appropriate research methods and tools (like surveys, statistics,
and experiments) to generate valid, reliable, and comparable
data.
4. Quantification: The belief in the importance of measurement
and quantification to achieve greater precision in analyzing
political phenomena.
5. Values: The separation of facts from values, meaning that
empirical analysis of political behaviour should be value-free
and objective, avoiding personal opinions or moral judgments.
6. Systematization: The insistence on systematic research,
where theory and empirical research are intertwined and part
of a coherent and orderly body of knowledge.
7. Pure Science: The goal of developing a theoretical
understanding of political behaviour, preceding the application
of knowledge to practical problems.
8. Integration: The recognition that political phenomena are
intertwined with other social, economic, and cultural factors,
and therefore, political science should be studied in
conjunction with other social science disciplines like history,
sociology, and economics.
