A Dynamic Theory of Personality

305 Pages·2016·11.12 MB·English

by  Levin K.

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Accession No.
Call No.
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TitleDynarnic theory p
ersonality
This book shouJd be returned on or before the date last marked below.
McGRAW-HILL PUBLICATIONS IN PSYCHOLOGY
F. CONSULTING EDITOR
J. DASHIELL, PH.D.,
A DYNAMIC THEORY OF PERSONALITY
Selected
Papers
McGraw-Hill Publications tn
Psychology
JOHN F. DAS II I ELL
CONHULTINQ EDI'IOK
and CHILD BEHAVIOR AND DEVELOP-
Barker, Kounin, Wright
MENT
/Jro?/>n -PSYCHOLOGY AND THE SOCIAL ORDER
Brown THE PSYCHODYNAMICS OF ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
Col? GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
-
and Gilbert RECENT EXPERI-
Craftx, Schneirla, Hobinxon,
MENTS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Davis PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING
RELIGION: ITS FUNCTIONS IN HUMAN LIFE
Dunlap
Ghiselli and Brown PERSONNEL AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGY IN HUMAN AFFAIRS
Gray
FUNDAMENTAL STATISTICS IN PSYCHOLOGY AND Ki>-
Guilford
ucATIO N
PsYCHOMETHIC METIIODS
Guilford
Hurlock ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
Hurlock CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Johnson ESSENTIALS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Krech and THEORY AND PROBLEMS OF SOCIAL
Crutchfield
PSYCHOLOGY
Lnrin A DYNAMIC THEORY OF PERSONALITY
Lewin PRINCIPLES OF TOPOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY
McNemar and Merrill STUDIES IN PERSONALITY
(AW.)
Maier FRUSTRATION
Maier and frchneirla PRINCIPLES OF ANIMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Moore PSYCHOLOGY FOR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Morgan
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Page
AN ELEMENTARY PSYCHOLOGY OF THE ABNORMAL
Pdlsbury
Richards MODERN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Seashore PSYCHOLOGY OF Music
Reward SEX AND THE SOCIAL ORDER
PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSONALITY
titagner
Terman and Miles SEX AND PERSONALITY
Wallin PERSONALITY MALADJUSTMENTS AND MENTAL HY-
GIENE
A DYNAMTC'THEORY
OF PERSONALITY
Selected
Papers
BY
KURT Pn.D.
LEWIN,
at the
Formerly Professor of Psychology University of Berlin;
at Cornell
Acting Professor University
TRANSLATED BY
DONALD K. PH.D.
ADAMS,
Duke
University
AND
KARL E. Pii.D.
ZENER,
Duke
University
FIRST EDITION
NINTH IMPRESSION
McGRAW-HILL BOOK INC.
COMPANY,
NEW YORK AND LONDON
1935
PREFACE
The book is a collection of
present originally independent
articles which were written at different times and for
quite
different occasions. the reader will find some of the
Hence,
fundamental ideas the book. The selec-
recurring throughout
tion has been made in order to a of the fields thus
give picture
far
studied, th&
psychology of the person and of the environ-
and at the same time to indicate their connections with
ment,
the various child
applied fields, especially psychology, peda-
and social
gogy, psychopathology, characterology, psychology.
a few one could at least
Only years ago observe, among
German a mood. After the
psychologists, quite pessimistic
initial successes of in its
experimental psychology early stages,
it seemed to become clearer and clearer that it would remain
for method to on the
impossible experimental press beyond
of and to such vital
psychology perception memory problems
as those with which was concerned.
psychoanalysis Weighty
" " "
and considerations seemed
philosophical methodological"
to make such an a The first
undertaking priori impossible.
in this direction seemed to confirm
positive experiments only
the belief that the of
emotion,
experimental psychology (will,
and character was condemned to rest content with surface facts
and to leave all to schools and
deeper problems speculation,
of test.
incapable experimental
in this field I felt that I had a task methodo-
Working begun
and sound and the broader
logically technically necessary,
elaboration of which could not be for decades. Never-
expected
theless it soon became clear that these are
though problems
are no means to solve. One had
difficult, they by
impossible
to clear out a number of
only hoary philosophical prejudices
and to set his scientific to arrive at
goal high enough explana-
tion and it can no be doubted that
prediction. Today longer
the for are
questions set, example, by psychoanalysis readily
accessible to clarification if
experimental only appropriate
methods and are it seems some-
concepts employed. Indeed,
vi PREFACE
what easier to advance to laws in the field of needs
dynamic
and emotions than in the of visit
psychology perception. My
to American universities the last has shown me
during year
in of all the differences of historical the
that,
spite background,
belief in these is rise to
possibilities giving many experiments.
The relations to and to
psychopathology comparative psy-
of fruitful. Natu-
chology give promise becoming especially
I know how near the we stand. But the
rally beginning
seems to be much more than I
development proceeding rapidly
had The reason for this above the historical
is, all,
hoped.
of which is for a "Galileian" mode of
position psychology, ripe
thought.
I have been asked whether I of the name
approve "topolo-
for this of research. I have no
gical psychology" type objec-
tion to it so as the are I am
long following points emphasized.
convinced that is in a to
psychology today position grow
the "schools" in the old sense of the word. To con-
beyond
tribute to this is a of our work which
uses,
growth major goal
so far as the of mathematics. For this
possible, language
is less than other and at the same time
language equivocal any
and since it the
"objective" "unspeculative," expresses only
structural order of and events. I do not
things However,
limit to of the use of
myself concepts topology. Furthermore,
mathematical is an of a more
language only expression general
"constructive" method whose chief characteristic is its
greater
to the between and fact.
ability bridge gap theory particular
remains the basic mathematical disci-
Nevertheless,
topology
for the of in the whole field of
pline presentation dynamics
and I am more and more convinced that it will
psychology,
a solid framework for a
become, beyond this,
dynamic sociology.
Doctors D. K. Adams and Karl Zener have undertaken the
labor of the articles into
great translating English. Only
those who know the difficulties of this sort of translation in
new fields will the extent to which I am
scientifically appreciate
indebted to them.
KuRT LWIN
NEW
ITHACA, YORK,
Kfarchf IQ35