Becoming a person through dialogue: field theory revisited

Field theory was first discussed in the natural sciences during the nineteenth century, but was reinterpreted for the realm of psychology through the writings of Gestalt psychologists at the beginning of the twentieth century. I propose that the dynamic field of human experiencing is of most interest for Gestalt therapy field theory. In this article, by tracing theories developed by Gestalt psychologists and twentieth-century philosophers, I suggest that human beings become persons through social interaction and by being part of a community and culture – an approach which creates a clear connection with Martin Buber’s dialogical theory and method. Keywords Field theory, field perspective, personhood, cultural influence, dialogic theory, dialogic method