Kurt Lewin's Change Theory

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Kurt Lewin’s change theories served as a backbone for humanistic views which aligned with the modern research views. His theory of group dynamics traversed across numerous fields and is the basis for development theory, a major pointer in solution to practical problems, facilitated better relationships between practitioners and researchers and is the key model in the change in the practices in nursing (Mcgarry, Cashin, & Fowler, 2012). His ideas of field theory therefore took into account the driving forces which caused an individual to have the desire to change, the restraining forces which sought to impede the individual on the new course and the equilibrium stage in which the driving and restraining forces became equal.
This paper will therefore …show more content…
Action research is therefore a dynamic process which employs the principles and concepts of field and group theory to evaluate how individuals respond to change in a collaborative and a participative environment which applies the concepts of group theory on an individual (Mcgarry, Cashin, & Fowler, 2012). It is therefore sometimes referred to as “stand alone theory” and the concepts which were conceived by Lewin and the steps are unfreezing, moving, and …show more content…
According to Lewin, the comfort zones people enjoy must be challenged in order to force people to abandon their unpleasant behaviours by ensuring that enough pressure is applied which will cause them to be ready to change. In addition, enough driving forces must be applied to an individual to ensure that the concept of group think or conforming to group norms becomes unbearable for an individual and the restraining forces like the social environment must be greatly eliminated to bring about rapid change in an individual (Jones, 2012). Therefore, enough psychological safety should be created in this process to enable an individual to be ready and willing to make a change from their present conditions and be ready to adopt new principles and tenets. Further a final method should also involve a combination of both driving forces and elimination of restraining forces to bring about effective change in an individual (Holter & Schwartz-Barcott,