Exam 1: Introduction: The Study of Politics

Correct Answer:

Answered by Examlex AI Copilot

The normative approach to the study of political science focuses on how things should be in politics. It is concerned with ethical and moral principles, and seeks to understand and prescribe the ideal political system and behavior. This approach often involves evaluating political institutions and processes against a set of normative standards, such as justice, equality, and democracy.

On the other hand, the behavioralist approach to the study of political science is more concerned with how things actually are in politics. It emphasizes the scientific study of political behavior, using empirical data and methods to understand and predict political phenomena. This approach often involves analyzing the behavior of individuals and groups within the political system, and seeks to uncover patterns and regularities in political processes.

The normative and behavioralist approaches differ in their focus and methodology. While the normative approach is more concerned with values and ideals, the behavioralist approach is more concerned with observable behavior and empirical evidence. However, these approaches can also complement one another in several ways.

First, the normative approach can provide a framework for evaluating and critiquing the findings of the behavioralist approach. By establishing normative standards for political behavior and institutions, the normative approach can help to assess whether the findings of the behavioralist approach are desirable or problematic from a moral or ethical perspective.

Second, the behavioralist approach can provide empirical evidence and insights that can inform and enrich the normative approach. By studying actual political behavior and processes, the behavioralist approach can provide valuable data and analysis that can help to ground and refine the normative principles and ideals of the normative approach.

In this way, the normative and behavioralist approaches to the study of political science can work together to provide a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of politics. While they may differ in their focus and methods, they can complement one another by offering different perspectives and insights that can enrich our understanding of political phenomena.