Search for stable units of analysis

According to Easton the ‘… behavioural aspects of the new movement in political research involve more than method and reflect the inception of a theoretical search for stable units for understanding behaviour in its political aspects’. The behavioural approach is based on the conviction that there are certain fundamental units of analysis relating to human behaviour from which generalizations can be formed. These generalizations may provide a common base on which a specialized science of human beings could be built. The search for stable units of analysis and a common base is a part of the search for the unification (basis unity) of the social sciences. To bring unity among the social sciences, there can be no better way than to find certain ‘units’ of analysis, which can be applied alike to economics or politics or psychology or sociology. Common or stable units of analysis may be understood as repetitive, universally present and uniform, that is the smallest element of human behaviour that reflects through different institutions, structures and processes. For example, role as a unit can be applied to analyse political behaviour, social behaviour or psychological behaviour. Similarly, action, choice, decision, power, political socialization, etc. are some other units of analysis that have been proposed for analysing human behaviour. These units can also be applied in studying group behaviour. For example, the role of groups in politics was a popular theme of political study in the 1940s and 1950s.⁴² The search for stable units of analysis is not limited to the individual and group levels alone. Easton’s systems analysis⁴³ encompasses the political, social and economic environment as the focus of study. System as a unit of analysis covers society as a whole. Political scientists like Almond, Powell and others have applied political culture as a unit of analysis for society. The structural–functional analysis also provides units for analysing which structure in society performs which function.

Unit of analysis can be located at the process level also. Decision-making (Snyder) and communication (Deutsch) provide two important units representing the analysis of process—how decisions are made and what is the volume and flow of information and its content, etc. Thus, the behavioural approach seeks units of analysis at the individual and group levels, at the level of society and at the process level. Corresponding to the unit of analysis, conceptual frames of reference have also been developed (see Table 1.2).

Table 1.2 Unit of Analysis and Conceptual Frames in Behavioural Approach