Kurt Lewin

Kurt Zadek Lewin (September 9,1890 – February 12,1947) was a German psychologist and one of the pioneers of social psychology. Often called the father of social psychology, he was one of the first researchers to study group dynamics and organizational development, and was a proponent of Gestalt psychology.

Lewin coined the notion of "genidentity", which has gained some importance in various theories of space-time and related fields. He also proposed the interactionist perspective as an alternative to the Nature versus nurture debate, in that he suggested that neither nature (inborn tendencies) nor nurture (how we are shaped by experiences in life) alone can account for individuals' behavior and personalities, but rather that both nature and nurture interact to shape each person. Prominent psychologist mentored by Kurt Lewin included Leon Festinger, known for his cognitive dissonance theory.

Lewin was born to a Jewish family in Mogilno, Poland (then in County of Mogilno, province of Posen, Germany). In 1940, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. He died in Newtonville, Massachusetts of a heart attack.

Impact on organizational development

 * Action research
 * Force field analysis