Political Behaviour
- Social Sciences
- 300 level
- 3 credit units
- 138 pages
- 24 units
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of political behaviour, examining how individuals and groups think, feel, and act in relation to politics. It covers key areas such as public opinion, ideology, partisanship, political knowledge, participation, campaigns, media influence, and polarization. The course aims to equip students with a strong understanding of the factors shaping political attitudes and actions, as well as the dynamics of political processes in democratic systems.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 150 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor Marked Assessments
- Final Examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of POL318, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
- UNIT 1: DEFINITIONS AND SCOPE OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATIONPage 74
- UNIT 2:LEVELS OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND THEIR CORRESPONDING ACTIVITIESPage 79
- UNIT 3:FACTORS AFFECTING POLITICAL PARTICIPATIONPage 82
- UNIT 4:DIMENSIONS OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION (DPP)Page 86
- UNIT 5: Political Participation and Democracy (PPD)Page 90
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
POL318 · UNIT 1 Definition, Origin and Main Thrusts of Political Behaviour
CONCLUSION This is a theory course but you will get the best out of it if you cultivate the habit of relating it to political issues in domestic and international arenas.
What you should be able to do
- Understand the key concepts and theories of political behavior.
- Analyze the factors that influence political attitudes and actions.
- Evaluate the role of political socialization and culture in shaping political behavior.
- Assess the dynamics of political participation and electoral behavior.
- Apply theoretical frameworks to real-world political phenomena.
What it prepares you for
- Political Analyst
- Policy Advisor
- Campaign Manager
- Public Opinion Researcher
- Lobbyist
- Government
- Political Campaigns
- Research Organizations
- Media
- Non-profit Organizations
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 1: Definitions, origin, and main thrusts of political behaviour
Unit 4: Post Behaviouralsim
The abstract nature of post-behavioralism requires critical thinking to differentiate it from traditional behavioralism.
- Module 4: ELECTIONS
Unit 3: Approaches to the study of Elections
Understanding the nuances of various electoral systems and their implications requires careful analysis.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 26 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Definitions, origin, and main thrusts of political behaviour
Unit 1: Definition, Origin and Main Thrusts of Political Behaviour · 2 hours
Read the definition of political behaviour from various perspectives.. Understand the development of political behaviour in political science.. Identify the main thrusts of political behaviour among the actors..
- Week 2Module 1: Definitions, origin, and main thrusts of political behaviour
Unit 2: Foundations of the Behavioural Approach · 2 hours
Study the foundations of the behavioural approach.. Understand the principles of regularity, verification, technique and quantification.. Examine the concepts of value freeness, systematization, pure science, and integration..
- Week 3Module 1: Definitions, origin, and main thrusts of political behaviour
Unit 3: Challenges to the Behavioural Approach · 2 hours
Examine the challenges to the behavioural approach.. Understand the complexity of human behaviour and the difficulty in verification.. Discuss the rigidity of technique and over glorification of quantification..
- Week 4Module 1: Definitions, origin, and main thrusts of political behaviour
Unit 4: Post Behaviouralsim · 2 hours
Study the principles of post-behaviouralism.. Understand the concepts of substance, social change, realism, and values.. Examine the importance of social relevance, actions, and politicization..
- Week 5Module 1: Definitions, origin, and main thrusts of political behaviour
Unit 5: Main Thrust of Political Behaviour · 2 hours
Identify the main thrusts of political behaviour.. Understand the concepts of political socialization and political culture.. Examine political participation, political communication, and elections..
- Week 6Module 2: Political Socialisation and Political Culture
Unit 1: What is Political Socialisation · 2 hours
Understand the meaning of political socialization.. Examine the factors affecting political socialization.. Study the definitions of political socialization from various perspectives..
- Week 7Module 2: Political Socialisation and Political Culture
Unit 2: Political Culture · 2 hours
Understand the meaning of political culture.. Compare political culture and political socialization.. Study the forms of political culture..
- Week 8Module 2: Political Socialisation and Political Culture
Unit 3: Major Agents of Political Socialisation · 2 hours
Identify the major agents of political socialization.. Distinguish between primary and secondary agents.. Understand how agents work to socialize people into politics..
- Week 9Module 2: Political Socialisation and Political Culture
Unit 4: Effects of Political Socialisation on Political Behaviour · 2 hours
Examine the impacts of political socialization on political behaviour.. Understand how family socialization affects political behaviour.. Study the effects of socialization in the school on political behaviour..
- Week 10Module 2: Political Socialisation and Political Culture
Unit 5: Functions of Political Socialisation · 2 hours
Evaluate the functions of political socialization.. Understand the intergenerational transmission of political values.. Examine the stability of polity and the creation of hegemonic order..
- Week 11Module 3: POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
Unit 1: Definitions and Scope of Political Participation · 2 hours
Understand the definitions of political participation.. Examine the scope of political participation.. Study the definitions of political participation from various scholarly viewpoints..
- Week 12Module 3: POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
Unit 2: Levels of Political Participation · 2 hours
Understand that political participation occurs at different levels.. Identify the different levels of political participation.. Study the gladiatorial, transitorial, and spectatorial political participation..
- Week 13Module 3: POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
Unit 3: Factors affecting Political Participation · 2 hours
Identify and analyze the factors behind variation in political participation.. Assess the relevance or merit of these criticisms.. Examine political culture, institutional and electoral arrangements, party system, political leadership and socio-economic status..
Preparing for the exam
- Create a detailed study schedule, allocating specific time slots for each module and unit.
- Focus on understanding key concepts and theories rather than memorizing facts.
- Use case studies and real-world examples to illustrate theoretical concepts.
- Practice answering essay questions and analyzing political scenarios.
- Review all assignments and tutor-marked assessments to identify areas for improvement.
Questions students ask about this course
What is POL318 about?
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of political behaviour, examining how individuals and groups think, feel, and act in relation to politics. It covers key areas such as public opinion, ideology, partisanship, political knowledge, participation, campaigns, media influence, and polarization. The course aims to equip students with a strong understanding of the factors shaping political attitudes and actions, as well as the dynamics of political processes in democratic systems.
How many units does POL318 have?
POL318, Political Behaviour, has 24 units across 5 modules, over 138 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is POL318?
POL318 carries 3 credit units, at 300 level in Social Sciences.
Is POL318 hard?
POL318 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.
How long does POL318 take to study?
About 150 hours of study, spread across its 24 units.
How is POL318 assessed?
POL318 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assessments and Final Examination.
What can I do with POL318?
Political Analyst, Policy Advisor, Campaign Manager, Public Opinion Researcher and Lobbyist.