This environment exists in an individual's (or in the collective group) mind at a
certain point
in time.
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This "field" or environment is not static but very
dynamic. It changes for a person over time according to the experiences they
have and how they respond to those changing experiences. In its full form, the
field is described by Lewin as a person’s "life space." It describes and covers
the range of items in the person's mind such as motives, values, needs,
moods, goals, anxieties, frustations, vision and ideals.
Changing the Field
An individual's field or "life space" can change. Change occurs because of a
person’s life experiences. These cause an interaction between their "life space"
and things in the outside world. These are the events and experiences that a
person has. Lewen labels these "external stimuli." This interaction takes place
at the "boundary zone."
Part of the change occurs because of the nature of these external stimuli. But
the principal driver of change is constituted by how the person responds to
these stimuli. It is how the person integrates them into their life space when
they intenalise the experience. This determines whether they are better for the
experience in that they devleop, or worse in that they regress.
Forces
Forces are analysed from the perspective of an organisation seeking to achieve
a goal. Forces that drive towards a goal are described as driving forces or
helping forces, while forces opposing the goal (and thus favouring maintaining
the status quo) are labelled restraining forces or hindering forces.
Issue
applied these princples to a range of matters such as learning,
adolescence,
hatred and the morale
of an organisation. These principles have
been applied to the analysis of group conflict. Specifically they are deployed in
to the situation where some in an organisation desire change and some oppose
it, so that there is an issue.
An issue is held in a dynamic balance or “equilibrium”
by the interaction of
two opposing sets of forces. In order for any change to occur, the driving
forces must exceed the restraining forces, thus shifting the equilibrium. Thus
force field analysis provides a framework for looking at the factors (or forces)
that influence a situation and that must be dealt with to resolve the issue.
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It can be mathematically described in a topological
constellation of
constructs.
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