Kurt Lewin Quotes

• If you want truly to understand something, try to change it.

  Kurt Lewin

  Change, Business, Understanding

  Attributed in "Problems of Theoretical Psychology - ISTP 1995" by Charles W. Tolman, (p. 31), 1996.

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• Learning is more effective when it is an active rather than a passive process.

  Kurt Lewin

  Learning, Effectiveness, Process

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• No research without action, no action without research.

  Kurt Lewin

  Research, Action

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• There is nothing so practical as a good theory.

  Kurt Lewin

  Theory, Practicals, Practicality

  Kurt Lewin (1951). “Field Theory in Social Science: Selected Theoretical Papers”, New York : Harper

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• If you want to learn about an organization, try to change it.

  Kurt Lewin

  Organization, Trying, Want

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• Experience alone does not create knowledge.

  Kurt Lewin

  Doe

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• Every psychological event depends upon the state of the person and at the same time on the environment, although their relative importance is different in different cases

  Kurt Lewin

  Events, Different, Environment

  Kurt Lewin (2013). “Principles of Topological Psychology”, p.24, Read Books Ltd

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• Social action, just like physical action, is steered by perception.

  Kurt Lewin

  Perception, Action, Social

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• When we are young we are like a flowing river - and then we freeze.

  Kurt Lewin

  Rivers, Culture, Young

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• A successful individual typically sets his next goal somewhat, but not too much, above his last achievement.

  Kurt Lewin

  Time, Successful, Goal

  "Resolving social conflicts; selected papers on group dynamics" edited by Gertrude W. Lewin New York: Harper & Row, 1948, p. 133; as cited in "Schooling & Capitalism: A Sociological Reader" by Roger Dale, Madeleine MacDonald, Geoff Esland, (p. 111), 1976.

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• The American culture ideal of the "self-made-man," of everyone "standing on his own feet" seemed as tragic a picture as the initiative-destroying dependence on a benevolent despot. He felt and perceived clearly that we all need continuous help from each other, and that this type of interdependence is the greatest challenge to maturity of individual and group functioning.

  Kurt Lewin

  Maturity, Men, Self

  "The Research Center for Group Dynamics".

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• The history of acceptance of new theories frequently shows the following steps: At first the new idea is treated as pure nonsense, not worth looking at. Then comes a time when a multitude of contradictory objections are raised, such as: the new theory is too fancy, or merely a new terminology; it is not fruitful, or simply wrong. Finally a state is reached when everyone seems to claim that he had always followed this theory. This usually marks the last state before general acceptance.

  Kurt Lewin

  Science, Acceptance, Ideas

  Kurt Lewin (1951). “Field Theory in Social Science: Selected Theoretical Papers”, New York : Harper

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• Fortunately I experienced Max Wertheimer's teaching in Berlin and collaborated for over a decade with Wolfgang Köhler. I need not emphasize my debts to these outstanding personalities. The fundamental ideas of Gestalt theory are the foundation of all our investigations in the field of the will, of affection, and of the personality.

  Kurt Lewin

  Teaching, Science, Ideas

  Kurt. Lewin, (2013). “A Dynamic Theory of Personality - Selected Papers”, p.231, Read Books Ltd

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