Mitwelt

Mitwelt is a German term used in existential therapy to refer to an individual's social or cultural environment.^[1] Problems in the mitwelt center on integration vs. isolation, or individuality vs. conformity. The individual is tasked with the responsibility to achieve a balance between these opposing states in order to derive existential meaning from a social group while maintaining one's autonomy.

The mitwelt (social dimension) is one of four existential dimensions. The others include: Umwelt (physical dimension) Eigenwelt (psychological dimension), and Überwelt (spiritual dimension).

References

1. Binswanger, Ludwig (1963). Being-in-the-World: Selected Papers of Ludwig Binswanger. New York: Basic Books.