Page 53 - Class Portfolio2019

UNIT I
PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

2. Vector - represents a force which is influencing movement towards a goal or away from it. If
there is only one vector (force), there is movement in the direction of the vector. However, if
there are two or more vectors acting simultaneously in different directions, the movement is in
the direction of the resultant force.

3. Life-Space - is also called the psychological field in which the person moves psychologically.
It contains the whole of one’s psychological reality one’s self and what one thinks of or what one
gains from one’s physical and social environment.

4. Valence – it is when a person is attracted by an object, that object is said to have a positive
valence. When a person is repelled by an object that is said to have a negative valence. The
person tends to move towards a region in life- space that has positive valence and he tends to
move away from a region in life-space that has negative valence. Because life-space may
contain regions with several valences active at a time, these give rise to conflict, especially when
the opposing forces are approximately in balance.

Lewin three chief kinds of conflict:

(1) Two Positive Valence:

Such as when a child has to choose between going to picnic and playing with his
friends.

(2) A Simultaneous Positive and Negative Valence:

Such as when a child is offered for a reward for the school task he does not wish to
perform.
(3) Two Negative Valence:

Such as when a child is threat-end with punishment if he does not do a task which he
does not wish to perform.

Classroom Implications:

Taking into consideration, the field theory as a whole, the classroom teaching-learning
implications include the significance of seeing the total situation at the beginning of the lesson
or an activity. The need for seeing the whole and details of the situation is very necessary. The
teacher must assist the students to perceive the goal and the barrier. The goal must be
presented in an easier and simplified way. Sometimes partial insight of a situation may provide
partial relief from tension.

Following are the major educational implications of this theory:

1. Reward and Punishment:

Reward activities often become interesting and are liked so that motivation is no longer extrinsic
while the activities controlled by the threat of punishment tend to become extremely hated.

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