Solving practical problems

Kurt Lewin coined a social psychology adage when he quoted an anonymous businessperson, saying: “nothing is so practical as a good theory” (Fiske, 2010, p. 40). Lewin proposed that social psychology should have practical and positive impacts on society. Social psychologists should not just be satisfied with theorizing and understanding. They should also actively apply theory to real-world applications. Lewin’s biography Alfred Morrow (1969) wrote that “Lewin’s most enduring legacy was his innovative blending of science and practice” (p. 234).

Lewin proposed a field of experimental social psychology through which practitioners could test real-world issues in a laboratory setting and use their findings to drive social change. By controlling variables in the laboratory, researchers could understand the factors influencing social perception, influence, and interaction. Proposing that behavior is a function of the person and the environment [B = f(P, E)], Lewin (1935) conducted experiments that laid the foundation for social psychology trends in group dynamics, attribution theory, cognitive dissonance, and situational leadership. Though “B=f(PE)” was neither theory nor mathematical formula, it did emphasize the growing understanding that social behavior results from dynamically interacting individuals and context.

Lewin modeled a blend of science and application in Berlin after World War I by applying research to improve worker efficiency and job design and to understand how scientific management influenced workers. After fleeing Nazi Germany to the United States, he researched to develop interventions for community problems, like racial prejudice, gang violence, and integrated housing. Also, he developed practical applications for driving individual and organizational change and for developing leaders. His approach to applied social psychology also strongly influenced organizational behavior, organizational psychology, and management. Lewin’s approach to experimental social psychology sprouted social psychology applications for addressing real-world phenomena, like intergroup relations, leadership, organizational behavior, teamwork, consumer behavior, and environmental psychology.

In addition to his experimental and applied psychology contributions, Lewin trained influential social psychologists like Festinger, Schachter, Deutsh, Kelly, and Thibaut. Of note:

• Leon Festinger (1954) offered social comparison theory and cognitive dissonance theory. Social comparison theory hypothesized that individuals have an innate drive to evaluate themselves based on external images.
• Festinger built his social comparison ideas on self-concept theories proposed by Coolley (1902) and Mead (1934). They explained how people come to know themselves through a reflected appraisal. People imagine what others think of them (Kenrick, Neuberg, & Cialdini, 2007, p. 49). Cognitive dissonance theory explained the uncomfortable feelings people experience when recognizing the inconsistency in their beliefs and behaviors. The recognition of a disconnect between personal beliefs and behavior motivates actions to reduce inconsistency.
• In the experimental vein, Katz and Braly (1933) conducted the first empirical studies on stereotyping, finding a high degree of consensus in ethnic stereotypes.
• La Pierre (1934) conducted the first experiments exploring the link between attitude and behavior, finding that what people think is not what they do.
• Heider (1958) made a significant contribution to social psychology theory when he proposed attribution theory to explain how individuals interpret why others do what they do. Heider proposed that individuals attribute others’ actions to two causes: internal attribution or external attribution, as follows:
• Internal attribution means that others behave a certain way due to internal factors, like attitude or traits.
• External attribution means that others behave the way they do because of the situation.