Goals Child Training Studied Gestalt Applied Focus Work

Training: studied under Stumpf but did not like Wundtian psych

Accomplishments:

Gestalt psych: had a applied focus (laborers, work spaces)

Topological psychology: 

• inspired by physics - person is a complex energy field, has goals which create vectors that attract or repel (used non-quantitative geometry).  Conflict arises when there are two opposing vectors.

• Goals become more attractive with effort (i.e. pies at back of counter)

• B=f(P,E) - “Lewin’s eggs (potatoes)”

• Child behavior: no such thing as an “average child” – most study the totality of a child’s life using case study.  Studied “environmental forces” in child dev & conducted detour studies (i.e. child has to move in opposite direction to get around barrier and obtain goal).  Authoritarian vs democratic leadership on children.  When frustrated, children dedifferentiate – regress to earlier stage.

Applied research – “action research” = reflective team problem solving – democracy over autocracy - helped fix productivity goals – also used it in his own team.

4 major programs of research (major I/O concepts):

1. Group productivity & focus on goals

2. Communication & rumors

3. Social perception and interpersonal relations

4. Leadership training (T groups)

Studied discrimination to combat prejudice (clerks of different races, housing projects), ways of handling a bigot (playlet), challenge college admissions quota system

Criticisms of others: Taylor’s time-and-motion studies – argued work has life value

Criticized by others: Boring – “defect of his jewishness”

Systems: Gestalt