Lewin, a social psychologist, believed the "field" to be a Gestalt psychological environment existing in an individual's (or in the collective group) mind at a certain point in time that can be mathematically described in a topological constellation of constructs. The "field" is very dynamic, changing with time and experience. When fully constructed, an individual's "field" (Lewin used the term "life space") describes that person's motives, values, needs, moods, goals, anxieties, and ideals.
Lewin believed that changes of an individual's "life space" depend upon that individual's internalization of external stimuli (from the physical and social world) into the "life space". Although Lewin did not use the word "experiential" (see experiential learning), he nonetheless believed that interaction (experience) of the "life space" with "external stimuli" (at what he calls the "boundary zone") was important for development (or regression). For Lewin, the development (or regression) of an individual occurs when their "life space" has a "boundary zone" experience with external stimuli. Note it is not merely the experience that causes a change in the "life space", but the acceptance (internalization) of external stimuli.
Lewin took these same principles and applied them to the analysis of group conflict, learning, adolescence, hatred, morale, German society, etc. This approach allowed him to break down common misconceptions of these social phenomena and to determine their basic elemental constructs. He used theory, mathematics, and common sense to define a force field and hence to determine the causes of human and group behaviour.
Cartwright, Dorwin (1951). "Foreword to the 1951 Edition" of Field Theory in Social Science by Kurt Lewin. Republished in: Resolving Social Conflicts & Field Theory in Social Science. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 1997. Originally published by Harper & Row.
Lewin, Kurt (May 1943). "Defining the 'Field at a Given Time'". Psychological Review. 50(3): 292–310. Republished in Resolving Social Conflicts & Field Theory in Social Science. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 1997.
Further readingedit
Swanson, Donald James; Creed, Andrew Shawn (January 2014). "Sharpening the focus of force field analysis". Journal of Change Management. 14 (1): 28–47. doi:10.1080/14697017.2013.788052. S2CID 144716750.
Burnes, Bernard; Cooke, Bill (October 2013). "Kurt Lewin's field theory: a review and re-evaluation". International Journal of Management Reviews. 15 (4): 408–425. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2370.2012.00348.x. S2CID 142831688.
Cronshaw, Steven F.; McCulloch, Ashley N. A. (Winter 2008). "Reinstating the Lewinian vision: from force field analysis to organization field assessment" (PDF). Organization Development Journal. 26 (4): 89–103. .
Schwering, Randolph E. (2003). "Focusing leadership through force field analysis: new variations on a venerable planning tool". Leadership & Organization Development Journal. 24 (7): 361–370. doi:10.1108/01437730310498587.
force, field, analysis, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, february, 2016, lear. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message In social science force field analysis provides a framework for looking at the factors forces that influence a situation originally social situations It looks at forces that are either driving the movement toward a goal helping forces or blocking movement toward a goal hindering forces The principle developed by Kurt Lewin is a significant contribution to the fields of social science psychology social psychology community psychology communication organizational development process management and change management Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksHistory editLewin a social psychologist believed the field to be a Gestalt psychological environment existing in an individual s or in the collective group mind at a certain point in time that can be mathematically described in a topological constellation of constructs The field is very dynamic changing with time and experience When fully constructed an individual s field Lewin used the term life space describes that person s motives values needs moods goals anxieties and ideals Lewin believed that changes of an individual s life space depend upon that individual s internalization of external stimuli from the physical and social world into the life space Although Lewin did not use the word experiential see experiential learning he nonetheless believed that interaction experience of the life space with external stimuli at what he calls the boundary zone was important for development or regression For Lewin the development or regression of an individual occurs when their life space has a boundary zone experience with external stimuli Note it is not merely the experience that causes a change in the life space but the acceptance internalization of external stimuli Lewin took these same principles and applied them to the analysis of group conflict learning adolescence hatred morale German society etc This approach allowed him to break down common misconceptions of these social phenomena and to determine their basic elemental constructs He used theory mathematics and common sense to define a force field and hence to determine the causes of human and group behaviour See also editDecisional balance sheet Field theory psychology Formula for change Immunity to changeReferences editCartwright Dorwin 1951 Foreword to the 1951 Edition of Field Theory in Social Science by Kurt Lewin Republished in Resolving Social Conflicts amp Field Theory in Social Science Washington D C American Psychological Association 1997 Originally published by Harper amp Row Lewin Kurt May 1943 Defining the Field at a Given Time Psychological Review 50 3 292 310 Republished in Resolving Social Conflicts amp Field Theory in Social Science Washington D C American Psychological Association 1997 Further reading editSwanson Donald James Creed Andrew Shawn January 2014 Sharpening the focus of force field analysis Journal of Change Management 14 1 28 47 doi 10 1080 14697017 2013 788052 S2CID 144716750 Burnes Bernard Cooke Bill October 2013 Kurt Lewin s field theory a review and re evaluation International Journal of Management Reviews 15 4 408 425 doi 10 1111 j 1468 2370 2012 00348 x S2CID 142831688 Cronshaw Steven F McCulloch Ashley N A Winter 2008 Reinstating the Lewinian vision from force field analysis to organization field assessment PDF Organization Development Journal 26 4 89 103 Internet Archive copy Schwering Randolph E 2003 Focusing leadership through force field analysis new variations on a venerable planning tool Leadership amp Organization Development Journal 24 7 361 370 doi 10 1108 01437730310498587 Dent Eric B Goldberg Susan Galloway March 1999 Challenging resistance to change PDF Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 35 1 25 41 doi 10 1177 0021886399351003 S2CID 146595777 Internet Archive copy External links edit Summary of Lewin s Force Field Analysis ValueBasedManagement net 2004 Retrieved 2008 08 29 nbsp This social science related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Force field analysis amp oldid 1180400891, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
