This document summarizes Kurt Lewin's change theory, which consists of three stages: unfreezing, moving to a new level or changing, and refreezing. It explains driving and restraining forces that push for or resist change, bringing a system to equilibrium. Driving forces encourage change while restraining forces maintain the status quo. The unfreezing stage involves letting go of old patterns. The moving stage is adopting new thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The refreezing stage establishes changes as new habits.

1. KURT LEWIN’S CHANGE
THEORY
By: Mandeep Chahal & Arvinder Khaira

2. Force Field Analysis: Driving Forces
Driving Forces are forces that push in a direction
that causes change to occur.
They cause a shift in the equilibrium towards
change.
i.e. A married couple who has to get ready for a
party, the husband is on the couch watching the
football game. The wife encourages her
husband to get ready because there is going to
be free beer at the party. The husband starts to
get ready in a hurry. The driving forces are: The
wife encouraging the husband & The incentive of
free alcohol at the party.

3. DRIVING FORCE

4. Force Field Analysis: Restraining Forces
Restraining forces are forces that counter driving
forces. They oppose change.
Restraining forces cause a shift in the
equilibrium which opposes change
i.e.In the case of the husband and wife getting
ready for the party. Present at the party is going
to be the husbands cousin whom he despises.
The cousin and the husband have not got along
for many years and if the husband was to go,
there surely would be a fight. The husband also
finds out that the beer is non-alcoholic.

5. RESTRAINING FORCES

6. Force Field Analysis: Equilibrium
Equilibrium is a state of being where
driving forces equal restraining forces and
no change occurs
Equilibrium can be raised or lowered by
changes that occur between the driving
and restraining forces

7. Kurt Lewin’s Change Theory
Consists of three distinct and vital stages:
“Unfreezing”
“Moving to a new level or Changing”
“Refreezing”

8. “UNFREEZING”

9. “Unfreezing”
Involves finding a method of
making it possible for people
to let go of an old pattern that
was counterproductive in
some way

10. “MOVING TO A NEW
LEVEL”

11. “Moving to a new level”
Involves a process of change
in thoughts, feeling, behavior,
or all three, that is in some
way more liberating or more
productive

12. “REFREEZING”

13. “Refreezing”
Is establishing the change as a
new habit, so that it now becomes
the “standard operating
procedure.” Without this stage of
refreezing, it is easy to backslide
into the old ways.

14. REFERENCES
Schein, E.H. (1995). Kurt Lewin’s Change Theory in the Field and in the
Classroom: Notes toward a model of managed learning. Working
Paper 3821. Available from: (pdf) https://dspace.mit.edu/
bitstream/1721.1 /2576/1/swp-3821-32871445.pdf.