Principles of Topological Psychology

2015 Reprint of 1936 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition. Not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Topological psychology may be described non-technically as an attempt to comprehend human behavior in terms of the objects which are present, and of the relations among "events" taking place in a given environment ("life-span"). Lewin contends that it provides the basis for a truly scientific psychology.

The Lewin's equation, B = f(P, E), is a psychological equation of behavior developed by Kurt Lewin. It states that behavior is a function of the person in their environment. The equation is the psychologist's most well known formula in social psychology, of which Lewin was a modern pioneer. When first presented in Lewin's book "Principles of Topological Psychology," published in 1936, it contradicted most popular theories in that it gave importance to a person's momentary situation in understanding his or her behavior, rather than relying entirely on the past.