%0 Thesis %1 patnoe_making_1986 %A Patnoe, Shelley %C Santa Cruz, CA %D 1986 %K dissertation institutional intellectual internalist lewin methodology mit oral-history psychology rcgd small-groups %T The Making of Experimental Social Psychologists: The Creative Legacy of Kurt Lewin %X This study examines the graduate training and research styles of some of Kurt Lewin's intellectual descendents. Specifically the question addressed was: What aspects of the social psychological environment at the Research Center for Group Dynamics while it was at MIT (1945-1948), enabled certain gifted students to develop the skills, enthusiasm and self-permission to be productive later in their careers and in turn, to foster younger scientists to do the same? Those aspect of Lewin's training which may have been responsible for the creative productivity of his intellectual descendents are the focus of this inquiry. These include the influence of Lewin's theory, the experimental method he brought to complex social phenomena as well as his personal style and approach to psychology. Twenty in-depth interviews were carried out and make up an oral history of the graduate training of some of Lewin's descendents. Those interviewed included three faculty members and six social psychologists who were graduate students at the Research Center for Group Dynamics at MIT. Also interviewed were eight social psychologists who were trained by members of the original MIT group, two social psychologists who were trained by one of the second generation Lewinians, and one social psychologist with close ties to the group. Some of the aspects of Lewin's training environment which were handed down by his students include: Immediate immersion in research with little emphasis on course work, an interdependent working style in which problem-solving research meetings known as the Quasselstrippe played a key part, task centeredness, intense scrutiny of data, self identification as scientists and use of an apprenticeship method of training. One model of graduate training is to purposefully train students in the art of scientific investigation in order to produce quality researchers. Another model, one followed by some members of the Lewin group, involves selecting the best students and carefully supervising them in order to produce quality research. Beginning with Lewin himself, training students has been a by-product of the pursuit of scientific understanding.

@phdthesis{patnoe_making_1986, abstract = {This study examines the graduate training and research styles of some of Kurt Lewin's intellectual descendents. Specifically the question addressed was: What aspects of the social psychological environment at the Research Center for Group Dynamics while it was at MIT (1945-1948), enabled certain gifted students to develop the skills, enthusiasm and self-permission to be productive later in their careers and in turn, to foster younger scientists to do the same? Those aspect of Lewin's training which may have been responsible for the creative productivity of his intellectual descendents are the focus of this inquiry. These include the influence of Lewin's theory, the experimental method he brought to complex social phenomena as well as his personal style and approach to psychology. Twenty in-depth interviews were carried out and make up an oral history of the graduate training of some of Lewin's descendents. Those interviewed included three faculty members and six social psychologists who were graduate students at the Research Center for Group Dynamics at MIT. Also interviewed were eight social psychologists who were trained by members of the original MIT group, two social psychologists who were trained by one of the second generation Lewinians, and one social psychologist with close ties to the group. Some of the aspects of Lewin's training environment which were handed down by his students include: Immediate immersion in research with little emphasis on course work, an interdependent working style in which problem-solving research meetings known as the Quasselstrippe played a key part, task centeredness, intense scrutiny of data, self identification as scientists and use of an apprenticeship method of training. One model of graduate training is to purposefully train students in the art of scientific investigation in order to produce quality researchers. Another model, one followed by some members of the Lewin group, involves selecting the best students and carefully supervising them in order to produce quality research. Beginning with Lewin himself, training students has been a by-product of the pursuit of scientific understanding.}, added-at = {2019-08-29T01:56:31.000+0200}, address = {{Santa Cruz, CA}}, author = {Patnoe, Shelley}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2c2170725527b01bfacd98f7382a96cda/jpooley}, interhash = {da087e11715b63a74424da2253742200}, intrahash = {c2170725527b01bfacd98f7382a96cda}, keywords = {dissertation institutional intellectual internalist lewin methodology mit oral-history psychology rcgd small-groups}, school = {University of California at Santa Cruz}, timestamp = {2019-08-29T01:56:31.000+0200}, title = {The {{Making}} of {{Experimental Social Psychologists}}: {{The Creative Legacy}} of {{Kurt Lewin}}}, type = {{{PhD Thesis}}}, year = 1986 }