Leading people also means shaping and regulating the environments in which they operate: schools and classrooms, workplace atmospheres and organisations. But where does the knowledge required for this come from? And what power dynamics come into play when one manipulates the environments of others? Ecologies of the Psyche traces the emergence of environment-related power dynamics back to early 20th-century psychology, in which environments, milieus and settings became key themes. This interest in environments and their significance for human development has, from the outset, been underpinned by the notion that social institutions and milieus cannot be rationally designed and organised without developing an understanding of the environments in which people behave. This book traces the history of psychological knowledge of the environment through the spread of the concept of ecology within psychology. It sheds new light on concepts such as feedback, developmental environments and resilience, which continue to inspire us today to adapt ourselves and others to challenging environments.

This book is included in DOAB.