ABSTRACT
Introduction The life sciences perspective that we are advocating requires political scientists to venture into the various life science disciplines and become familiar with their facts, theories and methods. Occasionally these methodologies are not too different from the empirically based research done by some social scientists (for example, non-participant observation). However, the majority of political scientists engaged in empirical research are using survey research techniques and aggregate data analysis of various sorts. Fundamentally these researchers’ goal is to employ statistical methods to obtain probabilistic explanations. Others are working within the framework of rational choice theory and are developing formal theory. Some are even combining traditional and behavioural methods into a ‘new institutionalism’.
