Notable Psychologists
Notable Professional Dates
1914: He completed his requirements for a Ph.D.
1916: He received his degree from the University of Berlin.
1921: Privatdozent, University of Berlin
1927: Promoted to Ausserordentlicher Professor
1933: Lewin immigrated to the United States.
1933: Faculty, Cornell University
1935: Published "A Dynamic Theory of Personality"
1935: Professor, University of Iowa
1936: Published "Principles of Topological Psychology"
1940: He became a citizen of the US.
1942: President of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
1944: Organized Research Center For Group Dynamics, M.I.T.
1944: Established Commission on Community Interrelations (C.C.I.)
1946: Published Psychological Problems in Jewish Education
1946: Published "Frontiers in Group Dynamics"
1947: Created National Laboratories Training
-Aspen Evans
Socio/Political Backdrop
During the time of Kurt Lewis' research, World War 1 and 2 were going on. His mother was killed by the Nazi's. Later in his life, Lewis wrote about the lack of Jewish education. Lewis volunteered in the German army in 1914 and was injured in combat. After being injured in the war, Lewis formed an influential group made up mostly of Jews. The group was disbanded when Hitler came to power because of the prejudice he made towards Jews as a minority group. Later in life, Lewis moved to the United States in 1933 and became an American citizen about 10 years later. Afterwards Lewis worked with other researchers to find a way to fight religious and racial prejudice. Lewis also worked in psychological rehabilitation after World War 2 for people in camps. While he worked with Gestalt psychology, much of Lewis' main research was used to fight religious and racial prejudice most likely because he was a part of the minority group of the Jewish community. His research was an attempt to modify the social interactions between different groups of minorities and non-minorities.
-Leah Rahman
Birth and Death Dates
Kurt Lewin was born on September 9, 1890 and died on February 12, 1947.
Famous Psychologist: Kurt Lewin. (n.d.). Retrieved December 30, 2014, from http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/famous_psychologist_and_psychologists/psychologist_famous_kurt_lewin.htm
-Tiffani-Shae Starks
Stance on Nature vs. Nurture
Kurt Lewin held an interesting alternative view in the nature vs. nurture debate. Lewin proposed that neither inborn tendencies nor human experiences can solely account for human behavior and personality. Instead, he suggested that both nature and nurture interact with each other in shaping each individual's tendencies. Lewin’s nonstandard perspective in regards to the nature vs. nurture debate can be seen in his groundbreaking work with genidentity, group dynamics, leadership environments, force factors, and action research.
Famous Psychologist: Kurt Lewin. (n.d.). Retrieved December 30, 2014, from http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/famous_psychologist_and_psychologists/psychologist_famous_kurt_lewin.htm
-Tiffani-Shae Starks
School of Thought/Perspective
Kurt Lewin’s work focused on the factors of social psychology. He used the process of theory by experimentation to test his hypothesis. One of his focuses was on group dynamics and action research. Lewin’s research had subfields that looked at group productivity, communication, social perception, intergroup relations, group membership, training leaders. Group life was studied as a whole and not as each individual person. He believed they should not only develop working methods of working in groups but to actually put them to work in real life situations. Lewin and his colleagues studied three major research areas as their priority on the subject.
(1) "The conditions which improve the effectiveness of community leaders who are attempting to better intergroup relations,"
(2) "The effect of the conditions under which contact between persons from different groups takes place."
(3) "The influences which are most effective in producing in minority-group members and increased sense of belongingness, and improved personal adjustment, and better relations with individuals of other groups".
Lewin’s group dynamics are now being used in schools, industrial settings, as well as communities. Lewin’s studies have improved group dynamics everywhere.
-Aspen Evans
Bibliography
Aspen
"Kurt Lewin." Psychology History. Ed. Julie Greathouse. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Dec. 2014. from http://muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/lewin.htm
Leah
Kurt Lewin. (2014, December 25). Retrieved December 26, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Lewin
Cherry, K. (2015). Kurt Lewin Biography and Timeline (1890-1947). Retrieved December 26, 2014, from http://psychology.about.com/od/profilesofmajorthinkers/p/bio_lewin.htm
This video illustrates Lewin's stage model of change and its application to social psychology.
-Tiffani-Shae Starks
A synopsis of the work and career of Kurt Lewin is offered in this video.
-Tiffani-Shae Starks
Unit
Unit 4 and Unit 14 are the units that most relate to Kurt Lewis' research. Unit 4 because it speaks about sensation and perception and explain the Gestalt principle which much of Kurt Lewis' research attempted to modify. Unit 14 because is the unit about social psychology which Gestalt worked with when fighting racial and religious prejudice.
-Leah Rahman