Kurt Lewin

Kurt Lewin

Born

September 9, 1890 Mogilno, County of Mogilno, Province of Posen February 12, 194 !e"tonville, Massac#usetts $ermany, %nite& States Psyc#ology 'nstitute for Social (esearc# Center for $roup )ynamics *M'+, !ational +raining -aboratories )u.e %niversity %niversity of /erlin

Died

Citizenship Fields

Institutions

Alma mater

Doctoral advisor Carl Stumpf Doctoral students Known for -eon Festinger, (oger /ar.er, /luma 0eigarni. $roup )ynamics, 1ction researc#, +2groups Frit3 Perls, 1bra#am Maslo", /rian 45 Mistler, 6ric +rist, )avi& 15 7olb

Influenced

Kurt Zadek Lewin *September 9, 1890 2 February 12, 194 , "as a $erman21merican psyc#ologist, .no"n as one of t#e mo&ern pioneers of social, organi3ational, an& applie& psyc#ology5819 -e"in *pronounce& /lvin/ l-VEEN, is often recogni3e& as t#e :foun&er of social psyc#ology: an& "as one of t#e first to stu&y group &ynamics an& organi3ational &evelopment5

Contents
o o o o o

1 /iograp#y 2 ;or. 251 Force fiel& analysis 252 1ction researc# 25< -ea&ers#ip climates 254 C#ange process 25= -e"in>s e?uation < See also 4 (eferences = Furt#er rea&ing @ 6Aternal lin.s

Biograph
'n 1890, #e "as born into a 4e"is# family in Mogilno, Polan& *t#en in County of Mogilno, province of Posen, Prussia,5 Be "as one of four c#il&ren born into a mi&&le2class family5 Bis fat#er o"ne& a small general store an& a farm5 829 +#e family move& to /erlin in 190=5 'n 1909, #e entere& t#e %niversity of Freiburg to stu&y me&icine, but transferre& to %niversity of Munic# to stu&y biology5 Be became involve& "it# t#e socialist movement an& "omen>s rig#ts aroun& t#is time5829 Be serve& in t#e $erman army "#en ;orl& ;ar ' began5 )ue to a "ar "oun&, #e returne& to t#e %niversity of /erlin to complete #is P#5)5, "it# Carl Stumpf *1848C19<@, t#e supervisor of #is &octoral t#esis5 -e"in #a& originally been involve& "it# sc#ools of be#avioral psyc#ology before c#anging &irections in researc# an& un&erta.ing "or. "it# psyc#ologists of t#e $estalt sc#ool of psyc#ology, inclu&ing MaA ;ert#eimer an& ;olfgang 7o#ler5 Be also Doine& t#e Psyc#ological 'nstitute of t#e %niversity of /erlin "#ere #e lecture& an& gave seminars on bot# p#ilosop#y an& psyc#ology8295 -e"in often associate& "it# t#e early Fran.furt Sc#ool, originate& by an influential group of largely 4e"is# MarAists at t#e 'nstitute for Social (esearc# in $ermany5 /ut "#en Bitler came to po"er in $ermany in 19<< t#e 'nstitute members #a& to &isban&, moving to 6nglan& an& t#en to 1merica5 'n t#at year, #e met "it# 6ric +rist, of t#e -on&on +avistoc. Clinic5 +rist "as impresse& "it# #is t#eories an& "ent on to use t#em in #is stu&ies on sol&iers &uring t#e Secon& ;orl& ;ar5

-e"in emigrate& to t#e %nite& States in 1ugust 19<< an& became a naturali3e& citi3en in 19405 6arlier, #e #a& spent siA mont#s as a visiting professor at Stanfor& in 19<0829, but on #is immigration to t#e %nite& States, -e"in "or.e& at Cornell %niversity an& for t#e 'o"a C#il& ;elfare (esearc# Station at t#e %niversity of 'o"a5 -ater, #e "ent on to become &irector of t#e Center for $roup )ynamics at M'+5 ;#ile "or.ing at M'+ in 194@, -e"in receive& a p#one call from t#e )irector of t#e Connecticut State 'nter (acial Commission re?uesting #elp to fin& an effective "ay to combat religious an& racial preDu&ices5 Be set up a "or.s#op to con&uct a >c#ange> eAperiment, "#ic# lai& t#e foun&ations for "#at is no" .no"n as sensitivity training8<95 'n 194 , t#is le& to t#e establis#ment of t#e !ational +raining -aboratories, at /et#el, Maine5 Carl (ogers believe& t#at sensitivity training is :per#aps t#e most significant social invention of t#is century5: 849 Follo"ing ;;'' -e"in "as involve& in t#e psyc#ological re#abilitation of former occupants of &isplace& persons camps "it# )r5 4acob Fine at Barvar& Me&ical Sc#ool5 ;#en 6ric +rist an& 1 + M ;ilson "rote to -e"in proposing a Dournal in partners#ip "it# t#eir ne"ly foun&e& +avistoc. 'nstitute an& #is group at M'+, -e"in agree&5 +#e +avistoc. Dournal, Buman (elations, "as foun&e& "it# t"o early papers by -e"in entitle& :Frontiers in $roup )ynamics:5 -e"in taug#t for a time at )u.e %niversity58=9 -e"in &ie& in !e"tonville, Massac#usetts of a #eart2attac. in 194 5 Be "as burie& in #is #ome to"n5

!ork
-e"in coine& t#e notion of geni&entity,8@9 "#ic# #as gaine& some importance in various t#eories of space2time an& relate& fiel&s5 Be also propose& Berbert /lumer>s interactionist perspective of 19< as an alternative to t#e nature versus nurture &ebate5 -e"in suggeste& t#at neit#er nature *inborn ten&encies, nor nurture *#o" eAperiences in life s#ape in&ivi&uals, alone can account for in&ivi&uals> be#avior an& personalities, but rat#er t#at bot# nature an& nurture interact to s#ape eac# person5 +#is i&ea "as presente& in t#e form of -e"in>s 6?uation for be#avior /EF*P,E,5 Prominent psyc#ologists mentore& by 7urt -e"in inclu&e& -eon Festinger *1919C1989,, "#o became .no"n for #is cognitive &issonance t#eory *19=@,, environmental psyc#ologist (oger /ar.er, /luma 0eigarni., an& Morton )eutsc#, t#e foun&er of mo&ern conflict resolution t#eory an& practice5

Force field anal sis

Force fiel& analysis provi&es a frame"or. for loo.ing at t#e factors *forces, t#at influence a situation, originally social situations5 't loo.s at forces t#at are eit#er &riving movement to"ar& a goal *#elping forces, or bloc.ing movement to"ar& a goal *#in&ering forces,5 +#e principle, &evelope& by 7urt -e"in, is a significant contribution to t#e fiel&s of social science, psyc#ology, social psyc#ology, organi3ational &evelopment, process management, an& c#ange management58 9

Action research
-e"in, t#en a professor at M'+, first coine& t#e term Gaction researc#H in about 1944, an& it appears in #is 194@ paper G1ction (esearc# an& Minority ProblemsH5 889 'n t#at paper, #e

&escribe& action researc# as Ga comparative researc# on t#e con&itions an& effects of various forms of social action an& researc# lea&ing to social actionH t#at uses Ga spiral of steps, eac# of "#ic# is compose& of a circle of planning, action, an& fact2fin&ing about t#e result of t#e actionH5

Leadership climates
-e"in often c#aracteri3e& organi3ational management styles an& cultures in terms of lea&ers#ip climates &efine& by 899 *1, aut#oritarian, *2, &emocratic an& *<, laisse32faire "or. environments5 1ut#oritarian environments are c#aracteri3e& "#ere t#e lea&er &etermines policy "it# tec#ni?ues an& steps for "or. tas.s &ictate& by t#e lea&er in t#e &ivision of labor5 +#e lea&er is not necessarily #ostile but is aloof from participation in "or. an& commonly offers personal praise an& criticism for t#e "or. &one5 )emocratic climates are c#aracteri3e& "#ere policy is &etermine& t#roug# collective processes "it# &ecisions assiste& by t#e lea&er5 /efore accomplis#ing tas.s, perspectives are gaine& from group &iscussion an& tec#nical a&vice from a lea&er5 Members are given c#oices an& collectively &eci&e t#e &ivision of labor5 Praise an& criticism in suc# an environment are obDective, fact min&e& an& given by a group member "it#out necessarily #aving participate& eAtensively in t#e actual "or.5 -aisse32faire 6nvironments give free&om to t#e group for policy &etermination "it#out any participation from t#e lea&er5 +#e lea&er remains uninvolve& in "or. &ecisions unless as.e&, &oes not participate in t#e &ivision of labor, an& very infre?uently gives praise5 *Miner 200=I <9240, 8109

Change process
1n early mo&el of c#ange &evelope& by -e"in &escribe& c#ange as a t#ree2stage process5 +#e first stage #e calle& :unfree3ing:5 't involve& overcoming inertia an& &ismantling t#e eAisting :min& set:5 )efense mec#anisms #ave to be bypasse&5 'n t#e secon& stage t#e c#ange occurs5 +#is is typically a perio& of confusion an& transition5 ;e are a"are t#at t#e ol& "ays are being c#allenge& but "e &o not #ave a clear picture as to "#at "e are replacing t#em "it# yet5 +#e t#ir& an& final stage #e calle& :free3ing:5 +#e ne" min&set is crystalli3ing an& one>s comfort level is returning to previous levels5 +#is is often mis?uote& as :refree3ing: *see -e"in 7 *194 , Frontiers in $roup )ynamics,5

Lewin"s e#uation
+#e -e"in>s 6?uation, /EF*P,6,, is a psyc#ological e?uation of be#avior &evelope& by 7urt -e"in5 't states t#at be#avior is a function of t#e person an& t#eir environment 81195 +#e e?uation is t#e psyc#ologist>s most "ell .no"n formula in social psyc#ology, of "#ic# -e"in "as a mo&ern pioneer5 ;#en first presente& in -e"in>s boo. Principles of Topological Psychology, publis#e& in 19<@, it contra&icte& most popular t#eories in t#at it gave importance to a person>s momentary situation in un&erstan&ing #is or #er be#avior, rat#er t#an relying entirely on t#e past58129

$ee also

1ction researc# Force fiel& analysis

6cological Systems +#eory Fiel& t#eory Macy Conferences Social psyc#ology $roup &ynamics -ea&ers#ip Maintenance actions &ecision fiel& t#eory

%eferences
1. & 'n an empirical stu&y by Baggbloom et al5 using siA criteria suc# as citations an& recognition, -e"in "as foun& to be t#e 18t# most eminent psyc#ologist of t#e 20t# Century5 Baggbloom, S545 et al5 *2002,5 +#e 100 Most 6minent Psyc#ologists of t#e 20t# Century5 Review of General Psychology 5 Jol5 @, !o5 2, 1<9C1=5 Baggbloom et al5 combine& < ?uantitative variablesI citations in professional Dournals, citations in teAtboo.s, an& nominations in a survey given to members of t#e 1ssociation for Psyc#ological Science, "it# < ?ualitative variables *converte& to ?uantitative scores,I !ational 1ca&emy of Science *!1S, members#ip, 1merican Psyc#ological 1ssociation *1P1, Presi&ent an&Kor recipient of t#e 1P1 )istinguis#e& Scientific Contributions 1"ar&, an& surname use& as an eponym5 +#en t#e list "as ran. or&ere&5 25 L a b c d Smit#, M75 :7urt -e"in, groups, eAperiential learning an& action researc#:5 The Encyclopedia of Informal Education5 #ttpIKK"""5infe&5orgKt#in.ersKet2 le"in5#tm5 (etrieve& 1@ 1ugust 20105 <5 & -asc#2Muinn, 65 *2001, (ace 6ApertsI Bo" (acial 6ti?uette, Sensitivity +raining, an& !e" 1ge +#erapy BiDac.e& t#e Civil (ig#ts (evolution, !e" Nor., ;5 ;5 !orton5 & -asc#2Muinn, 65 *2001, (ace 6ApertsI Bo" (acial 6ti?uette, Sensitivity +raining, an& !e" 1ge +#erapy BiDac.e& t#e Civil (ig#ts (evolution, !e" Nor., ;5 ;5 !orton5 & 819 & -e"in, 75 *1922,5 Der Begriff der Genese in Physik, Biologie und Entwicklungsgeschichte *-e"in>s Babilitationssc#rift, & -e"in 75 *194<,5 )efining t#e :Fiel& at a $iven +ime5: Psychological Review =0I 2922<105 (epublis#e& in Resolving !ocial "onflicts # $ield Theory in !ocial !cience, ;as#ington, )5C5I 1merican Psyc#ological 1ssociation, 199 5 & -e"in, 75 *194@, 1ction researc# an& minority problems5 4 Soc5 'ssues 2*4,I <42 4@ 95 105 & Lewin' K(O -ippitt, (5O ;#ite, (575 *19<9,5 :Patterns of aggressive be#avior in eAperimentally create& social climates:5 %ournal of !ocial Psychology )*I 2 1C<015 & Miner, 45 /5 *200=,5 Prgani3ational /e#aviorI /e#avior 1I 6ssential +#eories of Motivation an& -ea&ers#ip5 1rmon.I M565 S#arpe5

45

=5 @5 5

85

115

& Sansone, C5O C5 C5 Morf, 15 +5 Panter *200<,5 +#e Sage Ban&boo. of Met#o&s in Social Psyc#ology5 Sage5 'S/! 0 @192=<=Q5 #ttpIKKboo.s5google5comKR i&EScf7SmiM?JMCTpgEP1119TlpgEP1119T&?Ele"in>sUe?uation5 & /al.enius, C5 *199=,5 !atural 'ntelligence in 1rtificial Creatures5 -un& %niversity Cognitive Stu&ies, < 5 'S/! 912@2821=992 5 #ttpIKK"""5lucs5lu5seKC#ristian5/al.eniusK+#esisKC#apter045#tml5

125

+#e System Sc#ool

Further reading

Fosc#i (5, -ombar&o $5P5 *200@,, -e"inian contribution to t#e stu&y of personality as t#e alternative to t#e mainstream of personality psyc#ology in t#e 20t# century5 'nI +rempala, 45, Pepitone, 15 (aven, /5 -e"inian Psyc#ology5 *vol5 1, pp5 8@C98,5 /y&gos3c3I 7a3imier3 ;iel.i %niversity Press5 'S/! 8<2 09@2=922Q 7aufmann, Pierre, &urt 'ewin (ne th)orie du champ dans les sciences de l*homme, Paris, Jrin, 19@85 Marro", 1lfre& 45The Practical Theorist+ The 'ife and ,ork of &urt 'ewin *19@9, 1984, 'S/! 029<4@9822228 *1lfre& 45 Marro" stu&ie& as one of -e"in>s stu&ents, +rempala, 45, Pepitone, 15 (aven, /5 -e"inian Psyc#ology5 /y&gos3c3I 7a3imier3 ;iel.i %niversity Press5 'S/! 8<2 09@2=922Q ;#ite, (alp# 75, an& (onal& P5 -ippitt, -utocracy and Democracy *19@0, 19 2, 'S/! 028< 12= 1022 *;#ite an& -ippitt carrie& out t#e researc# &escribe& #ere un&er -e"in as t#eir t#esis2a&visorO Marro">s boo. also briefly &escribes t#e same "or. in c#apter 125, ;eisbor&, Marvin (5, Productive ,orkplaces Revisited *2004, 'S/! 02 8 92 11 2 0 *C#apters 4I -e"inI t#e Practical +#eorist, C#apter =I +#e pig Prgani3ationI -e"in>s -egacy to Management5,

+,ternal links

+#e 7urt -e"in Center for Psyc#ological (esearc# at 7a3imier3 ;iel.i %niversity 'nternational Conference on :7urt -e"inI Contribution to Contemporary Psyc#ology: 7urt -e"inI groups, eAperiential learning an& action researc# 7urt -e"in Foun&ation *an !$P 2 promoting tolerance, 7urt -e"in 'nstitute *1 gra&uate stu&ent training institute in Social Psyc#ology in t#e !et#erlan&s, 8#i&e9v - d - e.s cholog Bistory - Portal - Psyc#ologist

Basic ps ch olog

1bnormal - 1ffective science - 1ffective neuroscience - /e#avioral neuroscience - Cognitive - Cognitive neuroscience - Comparative Cultural - )evelopmental - )ifferential - 6volutionary - 6Aperimental 'ntelligence - Mat#ematical - Personality - Positive - Psyc#olinguistics Psyc#op#ysics - Psyc#op#ysiology - Social - +#eoretical 1ssessment - Clinical - Community psyc#ology - Consumer - Counseling 6&ucational - Forensic - Bealt# - 'n&ustrial an& organi3ational - -egal Me&ia - Military - Pccupational #ealt# - Pastoral - Political Psyc#ometrics - Sc#ool - Sport an& eAercise - Systems - +raffic 1nimal testing - 1rc#ival researc# - /e#avior genetics - Case stu&y Content analysis - 6Aperiments - Buman subDect researc# - 'ntervie"s !euroimaging - Pbservation - Mualitative researc# - Muantitative researc# Self2report inventory - Statistical surveys

Appli ed ps ch olog

/eth odolo gies

1&lerian - 1nalytical - /e#aviorism - Cognitive be#avioral t#erapy Cognitivism - )escriptive - 6cological Systems +#eory - 6Aistential 0rien t#erapy - Family t#erapy - Feminist t#erapy - $estalt psyc#ology tation s Bumanistic - !arrative t#erapy - P#ilosop#y - Psyc#oanalysis Psyc#o&ynamic psyc#ot#erapy - (ational emotive be#avior t#erapy +ranspersonal 1lfre& 1&ler - $or&on 1llport - 1lbert /an&ura - (aymon& Cattell 7ennet# an& Mamie Clar. - 6ri. 6ri.son - Bans 6ysenc. - -eon Festinger Sigmun& Freu& - )onal& P5 Bebb - Clar. -5 Bull - ;illiam 4ames - Carl 4ung - 4erome 7agan - Kurt Lewin - 1bra#am Maslo" - )avi& McClellan& - $eorge 15 Miller - !eal 65 Miller - ;alter Misc#el - 'van Pavlov - 4ean Piaget - Carl (ogers - Stanley Sc#ac#ter - /5 F5 S.inner 6&"ar& +#orn&i.e - 4o#n /5 ;atson Counseling topics - )isciplines - 'mportant publications - Prgani3ations Psyc#ologists - Psyc#ot#erapies - (esearc# met#o&s - Sc#ools of t#oug#t +imeline - +opics

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