Kurt Lewin
Kurt Lewin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 September 1890 |
| Died | 12 February 1947 (aged 56) Newtonville, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Berlin |
| Known for | |
| Spouses | Maria Landsberg
(m. 1917; div. 1927)Gertrud Weiss (m. 1929) |
| Children | 4 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Psychology |
| Institutions | Institute for Social Research Center for Group Dynamics (MIT) National Training Laboratories Cornell University Duke University |
| Thesis | Die psychische Tätigkeit bei der Hemmung von Willensvorgängen und das Grundgesetz der Assoziation (1916) |
| Doctoral advisor | Carl Stumpf |
| Doctoral students | |
| Other notable students | |
Kurt Zadek Lewin or Kurt Tsadek Lewin (/ˈluːɪn, ləˈviːn/ LOO-in, lə-VEEN; German: [leˈviːn]; 9 September 1890 – 12 February 1947) was a German-American psychologist, known as one of the modern pioneers of social, organizational, and applied psychology in the United States. During his professional career, Lewin's academic research and writings focuses on applied research, action research, and group communication.
Lewin is often recognized as the "founder of social psychology" and was one of the first to study group dynamics and organizational development. A Review of General Psychology survey, published in 2002, ranked Lewin as the 18th-most cited psychologist of the 20th century. During his career, he was affiliated with several U.S. and European universities, including the University of Berlin, Cornell University, MIT, Stanford University, and the University of Iowa.