Kurt Lewin | Biografía del padre de la Teoría del Campo en Psicología
Kurt Lewin: The Father of Modern Social Psychology
Introduction to Kurt Lewin
- Kurt Lewin is recognized as the founder of modern social psychology, known for his research on group dynamics, experiential learning, and action research.
- In a 2002 review, he was classified as the most influential psychologist of the 20th century.
Early Life and Education
- Born in Prussia on September 9, 1890, into a small bourgeois family practicing Orthodox Judaism; his father owned a farm and a small store.
- Moved to Berlin around 1905; attended secondary school and later enrolled at the University of Freiburg in 1909 to study medicine before transferring to study biology at the University of Munich.
- Completed his PhD at the University of Berlin in April 1916 under Carl Stumpf with a thesis on fundamental laws of associations.
Career Development
- Served in the German army during World War I; experiences influenced his development of field theory and group dynamics.
- Married Maria Lansberg in 1917 (two children: Esther and Fritz); divorced in 1929. Later married Gertrud B., having two more children: Mary and Daniel.
Academic Contributions
- Worked as a professor at various institutions including the University of Berlin; faced political challenges leading him to emigrate to the United States in 1933.
- Held positions at Stanford University, Cornell University, and Iowa State University where he taught child psychology until moving to MIT in 1944.
Legacy and Death
- Became a U.S. citizen in 1940; served as president of the Society for Psychological Study of Social Issues by 1942. His mother died in a concentration camp during WWII.
- Coordinated researchers across various fields post-war; passed away from heart failure on February 12, 1947.
Key Theories
Field Theory
- Lewin's field theory defines possible behaviors based on an individual's life space, allowing predictions about actions based on personal circumstances.
Interaction Between Individual and Environment
- Emphasized that behavior results from both individual traits and environmental factors—an important concept that shaped social psychology.