A PROJECT

On
“POST BEHAVIOURALISM”

[Submitted as a partial fulfilment of B.A.L.L.B (hons) 5-year integrated course]

Submitted on: Jan 20,2022

Submitted by: Submitted to:

Nikhil Ola Dr. Deeptima Shukla

Roll no. 70 (Faculty of Political Science)

Sem 1st sec B

University Five Year Law College

University of Rajasthan
 DECLARTION

I, Nikhil Ola, hereby declare that the project titled “Post Behaviouralism” is based on the
original research carried out by me under the guidance and supervision of Dr. Deeptima Shukla
ma’am. The interpretation put forth are based on my reading and understanding of the original
text. The book, article and website, etc. which have been relied upon by me have been duly
acknowledge at the respective place in the text.

Nikhil Ola

DATE: - Jan 20, 2022 SIGNATURE

ROLL NO.: - 70

SEMESTER: - 1st B
 CERTIFICATE

Dr. Deeptima Shukla Date: - Jan 20, 2022

FACULTY
University Five Year Law College,
University of Rajasthan, Jaipur

This is to certify that Mr. Nikhil Ola student of 1st Semester, Sec- B of University Five Year
Law College, University of Rajasthan has carried out the project entitled “post-
Behaviouralism” under my supervision and guidance. It is an investigation report of a minor
project. The student has completed research work in my stipulated time and according to the
norms prescribed for the purpose.

Supervision
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have written this project, “Post Behaviouralism” under the supervision of Dr. Deeptima Shukla
Faculty, University Five Year Law College, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. Her valuable
suggestions herein have not only helped me immensely in making this work but also in
developing an analytical approach this work.

I found no words to express my sense of gratitude for Director Dr. Aruna Choudhary.

I am extremely grateful to my fellow classmates and seniors of the college for the support and
cooperation extended by them from time to time.

I am also grateful to my parents for their help and support in completing this project.

Nikhil Ola
 TABLE OF CONTENT:-

S. No. Particulars Page no.

1. TITLE I

2. CERTIFICATE II

3. DECLARATION III

4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IV

5. 1. CHAPTER-1 6
A. Introduction

6. 2. CHAPTER-2 7
A. Post-Behaviouralism
B. Causes for the Growth of Post-
Behaviouralism
7. 3. CHAPTER-3 10
A. Features of Post-Behaviouralism
B. Characteristics of Post-Behaviouralism as
given by David Easton
8. CONCLUSION 13

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY 14
 CHAPTER – 1

INTRODUCTION:

Behaviouralism:-

Behaviouralism is an approach in political science that emerged in the 1930s in the United
States. It represented a sharp break from previous approaches in emphasizing an objective,
quantified approach to explain and predict political behaviour. It is associated with the rise of
the behavioural sciences, modelled after the natural sciences. Behaviouralism claims it can
explain political behaviour from an unbiased, neutral point of view.

Behaviourlists seek to examine the behaviour, actions, and acts of individuals – rather than the
characteristics of institutions such as legislatures, executives, and judiciaries – and groupsin
different social settings and explain this behaviour as it relates to the political system.

From 1942 through the 1970s, behaviouralism gained support. It was probably Dwight Waldo
who coined the term for the first time in a book called "Political Science in the UnitedStates"
which was released in 19561. It was David Easton however who popularized the term. It was
the site of discussion between traditionalist and new emerging approaches to political science.
The origins of behaviouralism is often attributed to the work of University of Chicago
professor Charles Merriam who in the 1920s and 1930s, emphasized the importance of
examining political behaviour of individuals and groups rather than only considering how they
abide by legal or formal rules.

David Easton was the first to differentiate behaviouralism from behaviourism in the 1950s
(behaviourism is the term mostly associated with psychology). In the early 1940s,
behaviourism itself was referred to as a behavioural science and later referred to as
behaviourism. According to him, there is a “post-behavioural revolution” underway which is
born out of deep dissatisfaction with the attempt to covert political study into a discipline
modelled on the methodology of the natural sciences. In their efforts at research and
application of scientific method, the behaviourlists had gone far away from the realities of
social behaviour. In this way, political science again lost touch with the current and
contemporary issues.

1
http://www.igntu.ac.in/eContent/MA-PoliticalScience-RCM-02Sem-Dr.%20George%20T.%20Haokip-
Contemporary%20Political%20Theory-Unit1.pdf
 CHAPTER – 2
POST-BEHAVIOURALISM:

Post-behavioralism also known as neo-behavioralism was a reaction against the dominance of

behavioralist methods in the study of politics. One of the key figures in post-behaviouralist
thinking was David Easton who was originally one of the leading advocates of the "behavioral
revolution". Post-behavioralists claimed that despite the alleged value-neutrality of
behavioralist research it was biased towards the status quo and social preservation rather than
social change.

In the late 1960's the behavioural movement lost its original attraction and the momentum of
the early years, and soon a reaction Started which culminated in a new movement called post-
behaviouralism. The post-behaviouralists did not reject the scientific method of the
behaviouralists. They’re against behaviouralism was that because it had ignored current social
problems, it was relevant to contemporary social reality. Political science, they insisted, should
be relevant to life and its problems. It should seed to solve the problem of life and thereby
enhance human welfare. Post-behaviouralism emphasizes that in political research the
substance is more important than the technique. It is more important to be relevant and
meaningful for present day urgent problems.

David Easton an authority on post behaviouralism impressed the need for 'relevance and
action'. Post behaviouralism in action-oriented and future oriented.

Behaviouralist movement came into existence after the end of World War II (1939 - 45).2 The
behaviouralists made significant contributions to political science during the period. Writers
like Gabriel A. Almond, Robert A. Dahi and David Easton are some of them.

According to Robert A.Dahi behavioralism is 'a protest movement within political science
associated with a number of political scientists mainly Americans' who shared 'a strong sense
of dissatisfaction with the achievements of conventional political science, particularly through
historical, philosophical and the descriptive institutional approach' and a belief that additional
methods and approaches either existed or could be developed that would help political science
with empirical propositions and theories of a systematic sort, tested by closer, more direct and
move vigorously controlled observations of political events.

2
Foundation of Political science by Dr. Sunita Gangwal
Causes for the Growth of Post-Behaviouralism:

1. Failure of behaviouralism to look to the practical problems of the world:

While behaviouralism was a movement against traditionalism, the post- behaviouralism was
also a movement against behaviouralism itself but instead of condemning either of the two
methods of thought, it was a synthesis between the two contending schools of thought.
Behaviouralism was not a new discipline; rather it was just a new technique, a new approach,
with a new focus in view for the study of political science.

The traditional approaches such as philosophical, historical and institutional did not worry
about human behaviour or group-behaviour and neglected the scientific analysis of the human
problems3. Therefore, the people, first of all welcomed found that it failed to solve any problem
of the world such as threat of nuclear war, hunger, poverty, disease etc. Therefore, post-
behaviouralism rose against it.

2. David Easton on the failure of behaviouralism:

David Easton, one of the founders of the behaviouralist school of thought got disillusioned
with behaviouralism which dominated Political Science from the middle of fifties upto the
close of sixties. In his presidential address to the Annual Convention of the American Political
Science Association held in 1969, Easton declared that “he felt dissatisfied with thepolitical
research and teaching made under the impact of behaviouralism.

The behavioural approach was trying to convert the study of politics into a discipline based
on the methodology of natural sciences4. Mathematics was making its way in political science
to the extent that it began to look more of mathematics than a science related to the realities
of social life. In their efforts at research and application of scientific methods, the
behaviouralists had gone for away from the realities of social behaviour. In this way political
science again lost touch with the current and contemporary world”.

3
https://onlinenotebank.wordpress.com/2020/06/24/post-behaviouralism-and-its-features/
4
Political Theory text book by R.C Agarwal
3. Over-emphasis of the Behaviouralists on research methods and tools:

Behaviouralism was anxious to develop new research methods and techniques about political
phenomena so that in political science also theories may be developed like natural science butin
their efforts they divorced political science from philosophy, history and law.

With the advance of time, the behaviouralists lost touch with the realities of life altogether.
Consequently, Right-thinking behaviouralists like David Easton found that they had been
wasting their precious time only in developing methodological techniques and in refining
their research tools.

4. Dissatisfaction with behaviouralism led to the growth of post- behaviouralism:

The people soon got fed up with behaviouralism which failed to solve any practical problemof
the world even after spending crores of rupees on research in regard to developing new
methodology and techniques.5 Therefore, post- behaviouralism arose as a protest-movement
against behaviouralism.

5. Failure of the behaviouralists to convert Political Science into a problem-solving

science:

The behaviouralists devoted themselves in building up various paradigms, conceptual frame

works, models, theories and metatheories and spent huge amount and precious time but did
little thing to solve social, political, economic and cultural crisis of the world.

The post-behaviouralists asked what was the use of the research of the behaviouralists when
they did not take into account acute social maladies and the growing dangers of nuclear and
thermo-nuclear war. They contended that there was absolutely no use of developing high
technical adequacy and sophisticated research tools if the political scientists was unable to
understand contemporary social and political problems.

5
http://ppup.ac.in/download/econtent/pdf/Document%20(3).pdf
 CHAPTER – 3

FEATURES OF POST-BEHAVIOURISM:

Following are the characteristic features of post-behaviouralism: -

1. It is a movement of Protest.

It is a protest against the wrong direction which the behaviouralists had given to political
science. As such, the post- behaviourasists stressed on “Relevance and Action”. They held
that political science should be directed towards solving actual problems. So that it would be
more relevant to the society. Political Scientists, according to them, should once again try to
view political situation as a whole and in a right manner. They should deliberate on the basic
issues of society like justice, liberty, equality, democracy etc.

2. Opposition to ‘Value-free’ concept:

David Easton, in his modification says that “value are inextinguishable parts of the study of
politics. Science cannot be and never has been evaluatively neutral despite protestations to the
contrary. Hence to understand the limits of our knowledge we need to be aware of the value
premises on which it stands and alternatives for which this knowledge could be used”.

3. Future-oriented (Predictability):

Post-behaviouralism wants that the behaviouralists should link their empirical methods of
research and approach for making theories that could solve present and future social problems.
It must thus be future oriented. According to Easton, “Although the post- behavioural
revolution may have all appearances of just another reaction to behaviouralism, itis in fact
notably different. Behaviouralism was viewed as a threat to status quo; classicism and
traditionalism6. The post –behavioural revolution is, however, future oriented. It does not seek
to return to some golden age of political research or to conserve to destroy a particular
methodological approach. It seeks rather to proper political science in new direction.”

6
https://www.iilsindia.com/study-material/652724_1600581314.pdf
 4. It is an Intellectual tendency:

Post-behaviouralism is both a movement and intellectual tendency. As a movement of protest,

it has its followers among all sections of political scientists “in all generations from graduates
to older members of the profession”. Easton says, it was “a genuine revolution, not a reaction;
a becoming, not a preservation; a reform not a counter reformation.” It would be wrong to
identify post-behaviouralism with any particular political ideology. The whole improbable
diversity-political, methodological and generational – was bound together by one sentiment
alone, a deep discontent with the direction of contemporary political research.

Characteristics of Post-Behaviouralism as given by David Easton:

1. Importance to substance over technique:

Post-behaviouralists say, it may be good to have sophisticated tools of investigation, but the
more important point is the purpose for which these tools are being applied. Unless scientific
research is relevant and meaningful for contemporary social problems, it is not worth being
undertaken.

2. Emphasis on social change and not social preservation:

The post-behaviouralists say that the contemporary political science should place its main
emphasis on social change, not social preservation as the behaviouralists seemed to be doing.7
The behaviouralists had confined themselves exclusively to the description and analysis of
facts, without taking sufficient care to understand these facts in their broad social context,
which have made behavioural political science “an ideology of social conservatism tempered
by modest incremental change”.

3. Greater focus on Reality.

Political science should address the needs of mankind by identifying the future socialproblems
and by suggesting solutions to such problems.8

7
Foundation of Political science by Dr. Sunita Gangwal
8
https://www.preservearticles.com/political-science/post-behaviouralism-causes-and-characteristics-of-post-
behaviouralism/30554#:~:text=%20The%20characteristics%20of%20post-
behaviouralism%20are%20the%20following%3A,the%20future%20well-
being%20of%20the%20society%3A%20More%20
 4. Recognition of the existing values:

According to post-behaviouralists, unless values are regarded as the propelling force behind
knowledge there is a danger that knowledge would lose purposes. If knowledge is to be used
for right goals, values have to be restored to the central position. Human values need
protection.

5. It is Action-oriented:

Knowledge must be put to work. “To know”, as Easton points out “is to bear the responsibility
for acting, and to act is to engage in restoring society”9. The post-behaviouralists as such, ask
for action-science in place of contemplative-science.

According to post-behaviouralists, once it is recognized that the intellectuals have a positive

role to play in society, and that this role is to try to determine proper goals for society and
make society move in the direction of these goals, it becomes inevitable to politicize the
profession-all professional associations as well as universities thus become not only
inseparable but highly desirable.

9
https://www.politicalsciencenotes.com/behaviouralism/post-behavioural-revolution-its-nature/727
 CONCLUSION

Post-behaviouralists advocate that political science should be related to urgent social

problems. It should therefore be purposive. Political scientists should find out solutions to
contemporary problems. The research should be relevant to the understanding of social issues.
Political scientists must play the leading role in acting for the post-behavioural change. To
quote Easton, “the post-behavioural movement in political science is presentingus with a new
image of our discipline and the obligations of our profession.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY: -

• Political Theory text book by R.C Agarwal

• Foundation of Political science by Dr. Sunita Gangwal

• http://www.igntu.ac.in/eContent/MA-PoliticalScience-RCM-02Sem-
Dr.%20George%20T.%20Haokip-
Contemporary%20Political%20Theory-Unit1.pdf

• http://ppup.ac.in/download/econtent/pdf/Document%20(3).pdf

• https://www.iilsindia.com/study-material/652724_1600581314.pdf

• https://onlinenotebank.wordpress.com/2020/06/24/post-behaviouralism-
and-its-features/

• https://www.politicalsciencenotes.com/behaviouralism/post-behavioural-
revolution-its-nature/727

• Post-Behaviouralism: Causes and Characteristics of Post Behaviouralism

(preservearticles.com)