processualism
/prəˈsɛsjʊəlɪz(ə)m/ /prəˈsɛsjʊlɪz(ə)m/ /prəˈsɛʃʊəlɪz(ə)m/originally and chiefly US
noun
1 Social Sciences. Any theoretical approach in social sciences based on a methodological and often comparative analysis of processes; advocacy of such an approach.
2 Archaeol. and Cultural Anthropol. Processual methods applied to archaeology or anthropology; the advocacy or promulgation of such methods in these fields.
Origin
1970s; earliest use found in Contemporary Sociology. From processual + -ism.