Kurt Lewin Award

Named for the late Kurt Lewin, a pioneer in the science of group dynamics and a founder of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI), this award is presented annually for outstanding contributions to the development and integration of psychological research and social action. Although Kurt Lewin made contributions in many fields, his activities and research were a remarkable personal crystallization of the goals of SPSSI. The award is given in honor of Kurt Lewin and of his legacy. The award recipient is invited to present a distinguished address as part of SPSSI's annual convention and will receive a plaque and $1,000.

Nominees and self-nominees should be investigators who have made outstanding contributions to the development and integration of psychological research and social action.

Annual deadline: September 1

Nominations and self-nominations should include full name, contact information, current CV and a short statement of recommendation (400 words or less). Nominations can be endorsed by multiple SPSSI members, but separate letters of recommendation are not required. Nor is selection made on the basis of how many recommendations are received for any nominee. Nominations should be emailed to SPSSI with the subject, "Kurt Lewin Nomination." The selection committee may request additional information to supplement nominations.

2018 

Alice Eagly, PhD 

2017 

Craig Anderson, PhD, and Brad Bushman, PhD

2016

Mahzarin Banaji, PhD, and Anthony Greenwald, PhD

2015

Philip Zimbardo, PhD

2014

Susan Fiske, PhD

2013

Brenda Major, PhD

2010

Mark Zanna: While Waiting for Nature to Take Her Course: There’s Nothing So Practical as a Good…Design

2009

Beatrice Wright

2008

Mark Snyder: In the Footsteps of Kurt Lewin: Practical Theorizing: Action Research, and the Psychology of Social Action

2007

Kay Deaux: To Be an American: Immigration, Hyphenation, and Incorporation

2006

Greg Herek: Confronting Sexual Stigma and Prejudice: Theory and Practice

2005

Faye J. Crosby: The Uses of a Good Theory

2004

Jack Dovidio and Sam Gaertner: Understanding and Addressing Contemporary Racism: From Aversive Racism to the Common Ingroup Identity Model

2003

Daphne Bugental: Thriving in the Face of Adversity

2002

Claude Steele: Practical Theorizing: The Role of Social Context and the Case of Social Identity Threat

2001

James Jones: TRIOS: A Psychological Theory of the African Legacy in American Culture

2000

Normal Miller: Personalization and Promise of Contact Theory

1999

Jacquelynne Eccles: Activities, Identity, and Adolescent Development: The Social and Educational Policy Implications of Extracurricular Involvement

1998

Bertram H. Raven: Interpersonal Influence, Power, Religion, and the Mechanisms of Social Control

1997

Chris Argyris: Field Theory as a Basis for Scholarly Research-Consulting

1996

Marilynn B. Brewer: The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations: Can Research Inform Practice?

1995

Edward F. Zigler: The Child Care Crisis: Implications for the Growth and Development of the Nation’s Children

1994

Jyuji Misumi: The Development in Japan on the Performance-Maintenance (PM) Theory of Leadership

1993

Ethel Tobach: Personal is Political is Personal is Political

1992

John R.P. French: Jr: A Lewinian's Lewinia

1991

Eleanor E. Maccoby: Trends in the Study of Socialization: Is there a Lewinian heritage

1990

Harold H. Kelley: Lewin, Situations, and Interdependence

1989

Robert Sommer: Local Research

1988

Robert L. Kahn: Nations as Organizations: Organizational Theory and International Relations

1987

Thomas F. Pettigrew: Influencing Policy with Social Psychology

1986

N. Brewster Smith: War, Peace and Psychology: A Semi-centennial Perspective

1985

Irving Janis: Problems of International Crisis Managements in the Nuclear War

1984

Milton Rokeach: Inducing Change and Stability in Belief Systems and Personality Structures

1983

Bluma Zeigarnik: Kurt Lewin and the Soviet Psychology

1982

Joseph McVicker Hunt: The Significance of Twig Bending or Plasticity in Early Psychological Development

1981

Tamara Dembo: Some Problems in Rehabilitation as Seen by a Lewinian

1980

Marie Jahoda: To publish or Not to Publish

1979

Orville G. Brim: Jr.: On the Properties of Life Events Year Name Title of address

1978

Dorwin P. Cartwright: Theory and Practice

1977

Urie Bronfenbrenner: Lewinian Space and Ecological Substance

1976

Jessie Bernard: Homosociality, Solidarity, and Sex

1975

Isidor Chein: There Ought to be a Law — But Why?

1974

Donald T. Campbell: Qualitative Evaluation in Action Research

1973

Herbert C. Kelman: Violence without Moral Restraint: Reflections on the Dehumanization of Victims and Victimized

1972

Jerome D. Frank: Galloping Technology: A New Social Disease

1971

Charles E. Osgood: Exploration in Semantic Space: A Personal Diary

1970

R. Nevitt Sanford: Whatever Happened to Action Research

1969

Ralph K. White: Three Not-So-Obvious Contributions of Psychology to Peace

1968

Morton Deutsch: Conflicts: Productive and Destructive

1967

Muzafer Sherif: If the Social Scientist Is to Be More Than a Mere Technician

1966

Daniel Katz: Group Process and Social Integration: A System Analysis of Two Movements

1965

Kenneth B. Clark: Problems of Power and Social Change: Toward a Relevant Social Psychology

1964

Alfred J. Marrow: Risks and Uncertainties in Action Research

1963

Roger G. Barker: On the Nature of the Environment

1962

Theodore M. Newcomb: The Persistence and Regression of Changed Attitudes: Long Range Studies

1961

Robert MacIver: Disturbed Youth and the Agencies

1960

Stuart Cook: The Systematic Analysis of Socially Significant Events: A Strategy for Social Research

1959

Fritz Heider: On Lewin's Method and Theory

1958

Research Center for Group Dynamics: Some Things Learned: An Evaluative History of the Research Center for Group Dynamics (Presented by Dorwin P. Cartwright)

1957

Lawrence K. Frank: Research for What?

1956

Otto Klineberg: The Role of the Psychologist in International Affairs

1954

Margaret Mead: Cultural Discontinuities and Personality Transformation

1953

Gardner Murphy: Human Potentialities

1952

Gunnar Myrdal: Psychological Impediments to Effective International Cooperation

1951

Tavistock Institute of Human Relations: Some Aspects of Social Process. (Presented by A. T. M. Wilson)

1950

Gordon Allport: Prejudice: A Problem in Psychological and Social Causation

1949

Edward C. Tolman: The Psychology of Social Learning

1948

George B. Chisholm: Social Responsibility