Field theory (psychology)

Field theory is a conceptual model of human behavior that addresses psychology from a social science perspective. It was developed in the 1930s as a departure from early twentieth-century Gestalt psychology theories, which examined learning and perception. Field theory explores what motivates an individual along with factors such as personality. The model’s name comes from the fields of mathematics and physics. In psychology, the field is an individual’s life space, which becomes more complex as a person has more experiences. Topology, a branch of geometry, is used to map the spatial relationships of goals and solutions within the life space. Field theory takes an interdisciplinary approach to perception and understanding. This work and social psychology in general prompted a great deal of research through the twentieth century and beyond.

Background

The field of psychology originated in philosophy and later in physiology. Researchers of the nineteenth century examined neural impulses and the senses and determined that the mind was measurable and therefore could be approached using the scientific method. Much of this work was conducted in Germany. Wilhelm Wundt, a German philosopher, physician, physiologist, and professor is often credited with founding modern psychology at the University of Leipzig in 1879. In his laboratory, students studied sensation and perception as well as reaction time. Such research came to be known as experimental psychology. Wundt and his students proved that scientific data about the mind could be collected and analyzed.

Gestalt psychology arose in Germany in the early twentieth century as a reaction to relegating human consciousness to data sets. Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, Wolfgang Kohler, and Kurt Lewin believed that more could be gained by studying the entire experience rather than simply examining stimuli and reactions. They contended that instead of following a sequence, the mind is processing a great deal of information simultaneously. For example, the mind does not process individual notes of a musical performance but rather processes the melody while also processing the entirety of the experience. This work, which came to be called Gestalt psychology, can be summed up as the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Lewin, like many of his colleagues, was Jewish. He fled Germany in 1933 as the Nazi Party gained power and immigrated to the United States. He initiated many areas of study at various institutions of higher education. Lewin was among the first psychologists to suggest that both nature and nurture are the forces that create individuals. He explained this in mathematical terms: Lewin’s Equation for behavior, B=f(P,E), or behavior is the function of the person interacting within the environment. Lewin developed field theory as an approach to studying human behavior. His work is regarded as having the greatest influence on the development of modern social psychology.

Overview

According to Lewin, field theory is a method of studying human behavior that encompasses the individual and the environment, and includes aspects of the “nature versus nature” debate. Nature refers to inherited traits, including biological factors such as genetics, while nurture describes life experiences and other factors to which an individual is exposed after conception. This is at the heart of modern social psychology, which examines how the actions of individuals are influenced by the social environment in which the action occurs.

Lewin borrowed from physics, which defines a field as an area where each point is affected by a force and assigned a quantity. These forces include gravity and magnetism, among others. The field of study is the life space. This includes all elements comprising an individual and his or her environment. The environment refers to every element that affects the person’s actions and thoughts at a specific moment. The field in Lewin’s field theory includes all current facts and events and the individual’s perceptions of them. Each factor operates with a degree of force. Life space usually is composed of the physical environment and social factors. These include places, events, thoughts, goals, information from the media, and one’s feelings about these factors. The elements of the life space are regarded as facts regardless of whether they are true because to the individual, they are facts and therefore have an influence on one’s actions and thoughts.

Lewin applied field theory to studies of child development, where the nature versus nurture debate has raged for decades. Children frequently encounter new experiences. However, children of the same age who have the same experience are affected in differently because each child’s life space is unique. This is true even if the children are twins. Researchers in the late twentieth century tried to discern the impact of genetics and environment through studies of twins. They found that when twins were separated and raised in environments of differing socioeconomic status, their intelligence scores were vastly different. The twin raised in the high socioeconomic status environment scored higher than the twin raised in a low socioeconomic status environment. Researchers reasoned that the former environment was more enriching. This difference unlocked more of the child’s genetic potential, while the other twin’s environment hindered the child’s potential. The studies clearly demonstrate the impact of differences in the fields of the individuals.

Lewin applied field theory to multiple areas of study, including organizational and group dynamics. Among his most well-known field theories is the change management theory, which is a guide to making changes. He explained that in every situation both driving and restraining forces are at work in the life space of an individual or a group. Positive or driving forces move individuals toward an action while negative or restraining forces decrease driving forces. Equilibrium is the state of equal driving and restraining forces. To enact change, equilibrium must be disrupted. Change management theory has three stages: unfreezing, change, and refreezing. The unfreezing stage, when the individual recognizes the need to change, involves finding a way to let go of a pattern that is not working. The individual must consider the forces in the life space that maintain the behavior. Change, or moving to a new level, involves new actions, feelings, and/or thoughts that are better or more productive than the old ways of doing things. Refreezing, the final stage, involves making the changes permanent new habits.

Bibliography

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Lewin, Kurt. “Field Theory and Experiment in Social Psychology: Concepts and Methods.” American Journal of Sociology, vol. 44, no. 6, May 1939, doi.org/10.1086/218177. Accessed 20 July 2021.

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