Scientific, Behavioural, Integrative Approaches To Study Of Politics

Scientific Approaches To The Study Of Politics:

Unlike the traditional approaches, in scientific approaches the criteria of study are scientific objectivity, freedom from personal bias, and verifiability of conclusions on the basis of experience or experiment The scientific approaches are the following:

Behavioural Approach To The Study Of Politics:

Modern technologies, like electronics and computers, as well as the techniques and methods of statistics have provided a new approach to the study of politics, first applied in the USA just after the Second World War and later in other countries. It is the behavioural approach.

It lays emphasis on quantitative measurement of the behaviour or activities of the individual in political life and relations. It studies mostly the micro-political behavipur of the individuals in the political system, and neglects macro¬political aspects, such as the State.

Integrative Approach To The Study Of Politics:

Integrative approach seeks to overcome the limitations of behaviourism. Harold D. Lasewell, in his book: The Future of Political Science declares that the study of politics should be approached in both traditional and new methods and techniques. According to him, Political Science is a “Policy Science”.

As such, it should benefit from both the traditional approaches of history, philosophy, law, sociology, psychology and anthropology as well as from the tools and techniques of behaviourism, especially from those of modem science. This is the integrative approach. It will provide better techniques for the interpretation of data, and for the development of verifiable propositions, which will ultimately help political scientists in solving the problems of politics appropriately.

 

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