Behaviouralism Flashcards
Classifying Behavioralism:
Classified under logical positivism.
Logical positivism influenced positivism but is not the same.
Basic Features:
Modeled after natural sciences but challenging in social sciences.
Movement away from normative theory and descriptive legalistic studies.
Focus on observing individuals and explaining observable political behavior.
Claims to be unbiased, objective, and value-neutral.
Behavioralism’s Simple Question
And what do they focus on?
Why do people (agents) behave the way they do?
Focus on empirical, causal, and observable explanations.
Analytical perspective in behavioral sciences.
Core Characteristics:
Foundationalist (objectivist) ontology.
Positivist (scientific) epistemology.
Privileges quantitative methodology.
Shared epistemology with rational choice theory and certain neoinstitutionalist strands.
Origins of Behavioralism:
Emerged after WWI, rose in the 1930s, dominant until the 1970s.
Associated with the behavioral sciences movement.
Linked to the rise of Comparative Politics and the subfield of Political Behavior.
Logical Positivism and Behavioralism
Categories of logical positivism, and how does it relate to behaviourali
Logical positivism categorizes analytical statements into tautologies (definitional/conceptual, not testable), empirical statements (testable against observation), and others (devoid of analytical meaning and normative statements).
Behavioralism originated with logical positivism’s influence on analytical statements.
Positivist Approach to Theory
what type? what does it do? empirical vs normative?
Empirical theory aims to describe and explain occurrences.
Explanation is the causal account of occurrences.
Distinguishes empirical theory from normative theory.
Positivism: Evaluating Theory
Criteria for good scientific theory, principles?
Criteria for a good scientific theory: internal consistency, external consistency, and consistency with direct observation.
Verification and falsification principles to test correctness or incorrectness of theories.
Falsification in behaviouralism
inductive affirmation is not valid; generate falsifiable hypotheses.
Unfalsifiable claims are not scientific.
Some core assumptions may not be falsifiable.
Empirical Statement Example:
“All swans are white” as a type 2 empirical statement.
Falsifiability criteria met when color and swan are independent.
Behavioralism is…:
its characteristics
Analytical, not substantive; general, not particular; explanatory, not ethical.
Devoid of substance, derives mid-level theories and hypotheses from other fields.
Behavioralist Hypotheses Origins:
Derives from other disciplines like political sociology and psychology.
Draws from various theoretical perspectives in political science.
Strengths of Behavioralism:
Brought individuals and groups into political science.
Focused on explanation and bettering scientific standards.
Emphasized replicability for validation and falsification.
Weaknesses of Behavioralism
Possible mindless empiricism; theoretical importance overlooked.
Challenges to objectivity, independence, and methodological individualism.
Example: Psychology & Behavioralism - Party Identification Theory:
preferencs based on?
Rational choice assumes preferences based on socioeconomic factors.
Cognitive political psychology explains behavior through framing and imaging.
Puzzle: Explaining party loyalty amid electoral trends.
