A Comparative Analysis of Field Theory and Psychodynamic Theory

This essay provides a comparative analysis of two prominent psychological theories: Field Theory and Psychodynamic Theory. Field Theory, developed by Kurt Lewin, is examined, focusing on its concepts derived from physics, such as the life space and dynamic energy fields, which influence human behavior. The essay explores implications of this theory, including reward, punishment, success, and failure in educational settings. The psychodynamic theory, rooted in Freud's psychoanalytic theories, is then discussed, highlighting its emphasis on the unconscious mind, early childhood experiences, and their impact on adult personality and relationships. The essay provides a comprehensive comparison by outlining the key principles, applications, and limitations of each theory, ultimately contrasting their differing approaches to understanding human behavior, motivation, and the influence of environment and internal factors.

Running head: THEORIES 1
Theories
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Date of Submission

THEORIES 2
Theories
Field theory is a conceptual theory of human behavior that was realized by psychologist
Kurt Lewin. The theory draws its concepts from physics and mathematics. The theory establishes
two basic conditions. One of the basic concepts of the field theory is that the way in which
human beings acts is brought by a totally coexisting facts (Guntrip, 2018). The other condition is
that these coinciding facts have the qualities of a dynamic field. In physics, the field is an area in
space which has characteristics of physical quantities such as energy and temperature. The
concept “energy field” from physics describes the environmental factors that have an impact on
human behavior. As per the theory, human behavior is not determined by the past or the future. It
literally depends on all the facts and events that are currently occurring and how the subject sees
it. The facts are interrelated, and they constitute the dynamic energy field that Kurt Lewin
referred to it as the life space.
As per the Lewin’s theory, the life space or psychological energy field is the environment
that constitutes individuals and the insights of their immediate reality. Primarily, life space it’s a
subjective personal space. It is like a summary of the way one looks at the world with all
objectives, experiences, perspective, assumptions, and fears. Besides, this field has defined limits
that come from the social and physical characteristics of the environment (Colarusso &
Nemiroff, 2013).
The field theory studies human behavior with a sense of total perspective. The influence
of psychological field on our behaviors is so enormous, which makes it easier for one to analyze
one’s behavior. According to the theory, if there are no changes in the field, then there will be no
change in the behavior. The model brought changes in the way psychology studies human being

THEORIES 3
by relating linking the people and the environment and the way they affect each other in real-
time (Colarusso & Nemiroff, 2013).
Just like with an energy field, every part affects every other part that is associated with.
To understand our behavior, we have to keep in mind all the variables that play a part in real-
time. This remains a fact on either an individual or a group level. Besides, we cannot analyze
these features individually thus the need to concentrate on studying the way we relate in order to
get the complete picture of what is going on (Feigin, Owens & Smith 2018). Lewin came up with
three primary variables for explaining this proposal which includes energy, tension, and need. In
this case, energy constitutes what causes the action and what motives them whereas tension
refers to the differences between an individual’s goals and their present state and need provides
an idea of what gives the motivating tension a start (Ewen, 2014).
Levin’s field theory has a major implication on education. One of the major implications
is reward and punishment. As per the theory, as a result of attraction to rewards, the student may
shorten the approach of success. For instance, to get a distinction in the exam, the learner may
decide to use the shortcut approach like cheating. It is, therefore, it important to utilize some
barriers over the reward situation in order to avoid access to such methods. In the case of
punishment, learners will have a tendency to leave the field as a result of an unpleasant task. In
other words, reward tasks are mostly liked so that motivation is no longer extrinsic, whereas
tasks that are controlled by punishment tend to become more disliked. The other implication of
the field theory is success and failure where psychological success or failure is determined by the
level of desire and the ego involved (Lox, Ginis & Petruzzello, 2016).
The other implication is the motivation whereby repetition of a task brings changes in the
cognitive structure and the required tension processes. As per the theory, there is a change in

THEORIES 4
attractiveness which is brought by a goal. The other implication is memory where field theory
states that activities which have no sense in completion are not remembered and unfinished
activities are remembered better than the finished activities which are caused by psychological
tension. Regarding memory, the field theory also states that activities which result in the
satisfaction of many needs are easily remembered than activities which result in the satisfaction
of one need (Schore, 2012).
On the other hand, psychodynamic theory constitutes the collection of psychological
theories which recognize the significance of drivers of human functioning. The model holds that
young children experience is the reason basis for adult character and relationships. The theory
originated from psychoanalytic theories of Freud’s, which include any models that are based on
his ideas.
The theory outlines five propositions that generally encompass the 21st century of
psychodynamic thinking. According to the theory, a great deal of mental life is unconscious,
which means that human being’s thoughts and motivation are mostly unknown to them. Also, the
theory assumes that human beings may experience conflicting feelings towards an individual or
an incidence as a result of mental responses that occur independently but in a parallel manner. As
per the model, such internal conflict can result in contradictory motivation demanding mental
compromise. Likewise, personality starts to form during early childhood and continues to be
impacted by childhood experiences until adulthood. Besides, an individual’s social interactions
are affected by their mental understanding of themselves other people and relationships.
Furthermore, the model proposes that personality development includes learning to control
sexual and aggressive drives (Colarusso & Nemiroff, 2013).

THEORIES 5
The psychodynamic theory links the two sides of nature and nurture. It supports the
impact of childhood on their characters and mental health when they are grown up (Bornstein,
Denckla & Chung, 2012). Besides, psychodynamic theory examines the innate influencers of
motivation in human behavior. Furthermore, it focuses on the manner in which the unconscious
mental processes individuals are born with the impact of their feelings, thoughts, and behavior.
Also, the psychodynamic model emphasizes the effect of childhood interactions and experiences
on later development (Dweck, 2013).
The main limitation of the psychodynamic theory is that it is too deterministic; thus it
denies individuals free will of exercise. This is on the grounds that it underlines on the oblivious
underlying foundations of character in childhood experience by demonstrating that conduct is
pre-decided and disregards the likelihood that individuals have personal agency. Likewise, the
psychodynamic model is by all accounts falsifiable and informal, as it is impossible to prove the
approach to be false. Freud’s theory was based on single cases that were observed in therapy,
thus remain hard to test. For instance, there is no approach that can be used to research the
unconscious mind empirically.
Conclusion
Whereas Fields theory and psychodynamic theory are involved in studying human
behavior, they differ in terms of their concepts and their implications. Fields theory draws its
concepts from physics and mathematics. The theory establishes two basic conditions. One of the
basic concepts of the field theory is based on the way in which human beings acts which is
brought by a totally coexisting fact (Guntrip, 2018). The other condition is that these coinciding
facts have the qualities of a dynamic field. The field theory studies human behavior with a sense
of total perspective. According to the theory, if there are no changes in the field, then there will

THEORIES 6
be no change in the behavior. On the other hand, the psychodynamic theory links the two sides
of nature and nurture. It supports the effects of childhood on their characters and mental health
when they are grown up (Bornstein, Denckla & Chung, 2012). Besides, psychodynamic theory
examines the innate influencers of motivation in human behavior (Basham et al., 2016).

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References
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personality. Handbook of Psychology, Second Edition, 5.
Colarusso, C. A., & Nemiroff, R. A. (2013). Adult development: A new dimension in
psychodynamic theory and practice. Springer Science & Business Media.
Dweck, C. S. (2013). Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality, and development.
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Ewen, R., & Ewen, R. B. (2014). An introduction to theories of personality. Psychology Press.
Feigin, S., Owens, G., & Goodyear,Smith, F. (2018). Theories of human altruism: A systematic
review. Journal of Psychiatry and Brain Functions, 1(1), 5.
Guntrip, H. (2018). Psychoanalytic theory, therapy and the self. Routledge.
Lox, C. L., Ginis, K. A. M., & Petruzzello, S. J. (2016). The psychology of exercise: Integrating
theory and practice. Taylor & Francis.
Schore, J. R. (2012). Using concepts from interpersonal neurobiology in revisiting
psychodynamic theory. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 82(1), 90-111.