GROUP STUDY: DIALOGUES BETWEEN KURT LEWIN,ENRIQUE PICHON-RIVIÈRE, IGNACIO MARTÍN-BARÓ, AND SILVIA LANE

Abstract

This theoretical essay critically analyzes the similarities, differences, and possibilities for dialogue among the contributions of Kurt Lewin, Enrique Pichon-Rivière, Silvia Lane, and Ignacio Martín-Baró to the study of groups. Based on a review of specialized literature, the study conducts a comparative analysis of the four frameworks along five axes: conception of the group; bonds and affections; change and resistance; the relationship between the individual, the group, and society; and the goals of psychological intervention. The analysis shows that these perspectives share a rejection of strictly individualistic explanations but assign different theoretical statuses to the group phenomenon. The results indicate that bonds, affections, conflicts, and resistances are constituted within the relationships among participants and are linked to historical, institutional, and social conditions. They also show that the aims of intervention are not determined by the techniques used, involving different ethical and political orientations. It is concluded that dialogue among these frameworks can broaden the understanding of group processes, provided that it preserves their conceptual and epistemological specificities, avoiding both evolutionary interpretations and the uncritical fusion of distinct theoretical frameworks.