부산대학교 도서관

Field theory is a conceptual model of human behavior that addresses psychology from a social science perspective. It was developed in the 1930s as a departure from early twentieth-century Gestalt psychology theories, which examined learning and perception. Field theory explores what motivates an individual along with factors such as personality. The model’s name comes from the fields of mathematics and physics. In psychology, the field is an individual’s life space, which becomes more complex as a person has more experiences. Topology, a branch of geometry, is used to map the spatial relationships of goals and solutions within the life space. Field theory takes an interdisciplinary approach to perception and understanding. This work and social psychology in general prompted a great deal of research through the twentieth century and beyond.