Kurt Lewin and Foundations of Change Science

Authors

• Lisa Meyer
• Todd Matthews, Sacred Heart UniversityFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

In this brief entry, we examine the foundational impact of social psychologist Kurt Lewin (1890–1947) on change management. We begin by reviewing the essential elements of Lewin’s life and work, while also exploring where he was going (and his broader vision for the social sciences) in the highly productive time right before his untimely death at the age of 56. We also explore lesser-known elements of Lewin’s work that form the building blocks of an integrated, highly salient approach to change, and conclude by offering a reappraisal of Lewin, one in which he should be seen centrally as a ground-breaking, integrated, and principled social scientist.

Comments

Online first March 26, 2026

Living reference work entry

ISBN: 978-3-031-51650-4, 978-3-031-51650-4

DOI

10.1007/978-3-031-51650-4_210-1

Recommended Citation

Meyer, L., Matthews, T. (2026). Kurt Lewin and foundations of change science. In: Dhiman, S. (Eds.), The palgrave encyclopedia of leadership and organizational change. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-51650-4_210-1