The institutionalist approach, as a school of thought that embraces both theory and method, concentrates on the causes and effects of political institutions and supports liberal-democracy political values. Institutionalists analyze the decisions of individuals in the context of institutional structure, emphasizing on institutions in their analyses. The main characteristics of institutionalism are: constitutionalism, structuralism, holism and normative analysis.
New institutionalism is distinguished by concentration on rules, the informal concept of institution, dynamism of institutions, the normative-critic position, the discontinuity of institution and differentiation from old institutionalism. After the Second World War, political science focused on individualistic behaviorism and rational choice hypotheses. Both of these approaches are based on the assumption that individuals, as individuals, act autonomously according to their own benefits. Behaviorists believe that individuals' decisions are made by themselves, not by any institution
Haghighat, S. S. (2008). Contrast of Behaviorism and Institutionalism in Political Science. Methodology of Social Sciences and Humanities, 14(55), 139-154.
MLA
Seyed Sadegh Haghighat. "Contrast of Behaviorism and Institutionalism in Political Science". Methodology of Social Sciences and Humanities, 14, 55, 2008, 139-154.
HARVARD
Haghighat, S. S. (2008). 'Contrast of Behaviorism and Institutionalism in Political Science', Methodology of Social Sciences and Humanities, 14(55), pp. 139-154.
VANCOUVER
Haghighat, S. S. Contrast of Behaviorism and Institutionalism in Political Science. Methodology of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2008; 14(55): 139-154.
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