A tri‐citation analysis exploring the citation image of Kurt Lewin

Abstract This paper presents the initial phase of a comparison of cocitation and social network analysis methods for the study of scholarly communication. The subject is a case study of the intellectual contributions of the social psychologist, Kurt Lewin. Lewin's “citation image” is examined with an analysis of intellectual “fellow travelers” as viewed by writers who cite both Lewin and other authors. In this paper I report the findings of an author tri‐citation analysis that explores the relationships among authors linked to Lewin by citations in the three ISI databases. Lists of the sixty authors most highly cocited with Lewin in two time periods (1972–1986 and 1987–2001) were derived and then explored with two multivariate techniques: cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling. Findings indicate the continuing diffusion of Lewin's ideas. Group Dynamics and Social Psychology clusters show a shift in members from the early period to the late. The later map shows the growing dominance of organizational development and business management. Although psychology remains a prominent arena for Lewin's ideas there is increasing divergence between the disciplines of psychology and organizational development.