Question

3. Explain the formula B=f (P+E). (1/2 to 1 page)

4. With regard to the Continuum of Internality, differentiate between internal individuals and external individuals. Which do you consider yourself to be? Why? (1/2 to 1 page)

Answer 1

B = f (P + E)

The founder of social psychology, Kurt Lewin, came up with this formula in 1936 to explain individual behavior. The explanation of this formula simply means that one’s individual behavior is a function of a person’s capability, personality, training, experience and also his existing environment. It is centered on the concept that a person’s environment plays an important part in determining their behavior.

Here, P can be further explained as the entirety of a person which means, his personality, motivations and desires. Our personal characteristics play an important role in our behavior. If we have a growth mind-set and a positive outlook, we can improve, learn and build on our current abilities.

The importance of environment, E on any psychological event cannot be undermined, and hence the environment plays an equally important part in influencing a person’s behavior. Each of us are in some way or the other governed by our environment in which we work and live, and this has a significant impact on our behavior and performance within an organization. Although we cannot often change our environment, we can better adjust to our environment while aligning positively with our behavior.

According to Lewin’s theory, our life space which contains both person and environment is dynamic in nature. In order to analyse a behavior, one needs to understand this life space at the time the behavior occurred. This creates a unique focus on the present situation and its analysis which is a different approach as compared to other theories. We can define this as principle of contemporaneity, where past events cannot influence present events. They can only form a summation of the various influences on a person’s personality based on historical causal chains.

With regard to the Continuum of Internality, internal individuals can be considered as those who have a very strong moral commitment towards themselves. This means maintaining a high degree of consistency in one’s personality, relationships and commitments towards their self-development goals. External individuals can be considered as those having a very high structural commitment which are dependent on the environmental outcomes, for example negative social reactions or irretrievable investments. The two are very closely related with each other and often it is difficult to draw a clear distinction between moral and structural.

I see myself to be an internal individual as I am more focused on developing my moral commitment and less prone to influences of external constrains on my moral development. Many people take social norms too seriously and often these structural restraints can have an overall negative effect on one’s behavior.