What are the major ideas of object relations theorists?
The Paranoid-Schizoid Position
- Splitting. Central to object relations theory is the notion of splitting, which can be described as the mental separation of objects into "good" and "bad" parts and the subsequent repression ...
- Introjection and Projection. ...
- Projective Identification. ...
What is the overarching principle of object relations theory?
Jung’s theory focuses on four basic psychological functions:
- Extraversion vs. introversion.
- Sensation vs. intuition.
- Thinking vs. feeling.
- Judging vs. perceiving.
What is the definition of object relations?
The term “object relations” refers to the dynamic internalized relationships between the self and significant others (objects). An object relation involves mental representations of:
What is an object relationship?
A relationship is a two-way association between two objects. Relationships associate objects with other objects. Create relationships to link objects with each other, so that when your users view records, they can also see related data. You can define different types of relationships by creating custom relationship fields on an object.
What is an example of object relations theory?
The theory suggests that the way people relate to others and situations in their adult lives is shaped by family experiences during infancy. For example, an adult who experienced neglect or abuse in infancy would expect similar behavior from others who remind them of the neglectful or abusive parent from their past.
How do you describe object relations?
Object relations is a variation of psychoanalytic theory that diverges from Sigmund Freud's belief that humans are motivated by sexual and aggressive drives, suggesting instead that humans are primarily motivated by the need for contact with others—the need to form relationships.
What is object relations theory quizlet?
Object Relations Theory. Focuses on the reciprocal relationship between a Mother and her infant and its effect on the infants development of sense of self. Object Relations concepts. refers to the way a child's Ego becomes organized over the first 3 1/2 years of life.
What was the main premise behind Klein's object relations theory?
Melanie Klein created the object relations theory that suggested infant relationships to objects, aka people and experiences with people, would ultimately dictate future relationships and attachment style. She believed negative relationships at a young age would deeply impact their future lives.
Why is it called object relations?
In object-relations theory, objects are usually persons, parts of persons (such as the mother's breast), or symbols of one of these. The primary object is the mother. The child's relation to an object (e.g. the mother's breast) servers as the prototype for future interpersonal relationships.
What is the difference between object relations theory and attachment theory?
Attachment theory, theoretically and practically, emphasizes the study of attachment concerning personal development, while object relations theory underlines the importance of the relationship children build with their primary caregiver in line with its self-developmental effects.
Why is the Object Relations Theory important?
According to the object relations theory, the way mothers and infants interact plays a crucial role in infant growth and development. If care is adequate or "good enough," children are able to develop their true selves, which is the part of the baby that is creative and spontaneous.
What is the role of psychoanalysis?
One of the primary aims of psychoanalysis is to help patients identify the hidden thoughts, behaviors, and desires that are creating problems in their day-to-day existence. The objective is to help patients understand the issues that have caused deeply rooted problems and a maladaptive perspective on life.
What is Klein's theory?
Klein's theory emphasized the idea of objects, which are related to human contact during infancy. The most important objects to a child are the mother and the mother's breast. According to Klein, infants are born with an unconscious fantasy life.
What is introjection in object relations theory?
Introjection, one of many defense mechanisms posited by Sigmund Freud, occurs when a person internalizes the ideas or voices of other people. This behavior is commonly associated with the internalization of external authority, particularly that of parents.
What are the main differences between Melanie Klein's and Freud's theory?
Klein emphasized the maternal view and stressed the importance of intimacy and nurturing of the mother. According to Freud, sexual pleasure is the prime motive drive, where Klien thought human behaviour was driven primarily by human contact and relatedness.
What is countertransference in psychology?
The concept of countertransference, originally coined by Freud as the unresolved, reactivated transference dispositions of the analyst is currently defined as the total affective disposition of the analyst in response to the patient and his /her transference, shifting from moment to moment, and providing important data of information to the analyst. The countertransference, thus defined, may be partially derived from unresolved problems of the analyst, but stems as well from the impact of the dominant transference reactions of the patient, from reality aspects of the patient's life, and sometimes from aspects of the analyst's life situation, that are emotionally activated in the context of the transference developments. In general, the stronger the transference regression, the more the transference determines the countertransference; thus the countertransference becomes an important diagnostic tool. The countertransference includes both the analyst's empathic identification with a patient's central subjective experience (‘concordant identification’) and the analyst's identification with the reciprocal object or self representation (‘complementary identification’) unconsciously activated in the patient as part of a certain dyadic unit, and projected onto the analyst (Racker 1957). In other words, the analyst's countertransference implies identification with what the patient cannot tolerate in himself/herself, and must dissociate, project or repress.
What is the rise of object relations?
The rise of object relations theories signaled a change of focus in psychodynamic theories. Intrapsychic conflict, particularly conflicts relating to the sexual and aggressive drives, and the central organization of oedipal compromises and the complementary influences of biological and experiential forces in development are no longer the cornerstones of psychodynamic theory, a change which has been regretted by some (see, e.g., Spruiell, 1988). Regardless of particular theoretical models, psychodynamic thinking seems to have moved in the 1980s towards a phenomenologically based perspective which emphasizes the individual's experience of being with others and with the therapist during clinical work (see, e.g., Loewald, 1986). The clinical emphasis upon experience inevitably drives theory away from a structural mechanistic model towards what Mitchell (1988)broadly terms “relational theory.” Patients in treatment express themselves in terms of relationships (Modell, 1990), and the move towards object-relations-based psychodynamic theories may thus be seen as led by an increasing demand on clinicians to explore clinical phenomena from the point of view of the patient.
What is object relations theory?
Object relations theory proposes that the gradual analysis of intersystemic conflicts between impulse and defense (structured into conflicts between ego, superego, and id, decomposes the tripartite structure into the constituent conflicting internalized object relations. From: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001.
How does a child solve the problem of mother?
Initially, he solves this problem by alternating between moving away from her and checking back to ensure that she is still there. However, as he needs to explore further and checking in becomes impractical, he needs to mentally represent her. To solve this problem, the child cathects an object that has mother-like properties. This transitional object usually is soft, malleable, and fragrant. It is also invested with the capacity to perform for the child the psychological functions that the mother thus far provided, such as emotional support and reassurance.
What is the first transitional object?
They suggest that the first transitional object is the child’s body, as it is the first vehicle through which the child experiences sensations from the mother.
How long is a BIP session?
The normal length of BIP is approximately 20 sessions. In the initial session (s) central conflicts for the patient are identified and the therapist focuses on these selectively, ignoring other conflicts and interpreting only those aspects of the patient's material which pertain to these concerns. There is no particular type of conflict to which Malan's approach gives preference, although Malan offers an overriding structure, similar to that of Karl Menninger, which he regards as pertinent to all conflicts. The “triangle of conflict” includes: the impulse or affect, the defense erected against it, and the symptom or anxiety which ensues after the failure of defence. An example ( Malan, 1980, pp. 178–184) of a focal conflict may be someone who is angry about being imposed upon but defends against this and manifests usually intense anxiety about asserting herself and becomes depressed as a consequence. Malan recommends addressing conflict in at least three contexts: in the patient's current life, with the therapist, and in relation to past caregiving figures.
What does failure to develop true external transitional objects mean?
Failure to develop true external transitional objects, and eventually fully symbolized ones, means that the body remains the main transitional object. It also means that the functions served by truly internalized and symbolized psychological objects are assumed through the body, thus creating a concrete, embodied way of seeking reassurance, soothing, and connection with the object.
Who Practices Object Relations?
Psychologists, psychotherapists, counselors, and social workers may earn certification in object relations therapy from one of several training institutions across the country. For example, the International Psychotherapy Institute (IPI), formerly the International Institute of Object Relations Theory, offers a two-year certificate program in Object Relations Theory and Practice for professionals involved in the mental health field. The Object Relations Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis offers a one-year introductory certificate program in object relations theory and clinical technique, as well as a more advanced two-year program. The Ottawa Institute for Object Relations Therapy also certifies psychotherapists in Object Relations Therapy.
What can a therapist do to help people with childhood object relations?
A therapist can help people in therapy understand how childhood object relations impact current emotions, motivations, and relationships and contribute to any problems being faced.
What happens if a caregiver does not meet the infant's needs?
If the caregiver does not satisfactorily meet the infant’s needs, the infant may repress the "bad" aspects of the mother and of the self, which can cause difficulty in future relationships.
Why is it important to raise children in an environment where they are encouraged to develop a sense of independence?
Winnicott stressed the importance of raising children in an environment where they are encouraged to develop a sense of independence but know that their caregiver will protect them from danger. He suggested that if the caregiver does not attend to the needs and potential of the child, the child may be led to develop a false self. The true self emerges when all aspects of the child are acknowledged and accepted.
How does the caregiver relate to the infant?
Initially, these two aspects of the object (the caregiver) are separated in the mind of the infant, and a similar process occurs as the infant comes to perceive good and bad parts of the self. If the mother is able to satisfactorily meet the needs of the infant or—in the language of object relations—if the mother is "good enough," then the child begins to merge both aspects of the mother, and by extension the self, into an integrated whole.
Why do people engage in object relations therapy?
Once critical symptoms are dealt with, however, an individual may choose to engage in object relations therapy to determine how past relationships with significant others might contribute to present concerns.
Why is object relations important?
Object relations theorists stress the importance of early family interactions, primarily the mother-infant relationship, in personality development. It is believed that infants form mental representations of themselves in relation to others and that these internal images significantly influence interpersonal relationships later in life. Since relationships are at the center of object relations theory, the person-therapist alliance is important to the success of therapy.
What is object relations theory?
Object relations theory is centered on our internal relationships with others. According to this theory, our lifelong relationship skills are strongly rooted in our early attachments with our parents, especially our mothers.
What happens if parental care is inadequate?
If the care is inadequate, children create a false self or one that is playing to the needs of others and is based on compliance with others' expectations, instead of the child's authentic self. Over time, acceptable parental care that will create the true self includes the following stages:
What is holding in a child?
Holding: Actual physical affection and holding including cuddling, holding hands, or lap sitting is familiar and regular behavior in satisfactory parental care. These later become internalized as a sense of psychological "holding."
What is the role of mother and infant in child development?
The Mom Factor. According to the object relations theory, the way mothers and infants interact plays a crucial role in infant growth and development. If care is adequate or "good enough," children are able to develop their true selves, which is the part of the baby that is creative and spontaneous. If the care is inadequate, children create ...
What is an external object?
External and Internal Objects. An external object is an actual person or thing that someone invests in with emotional energy. A whole object is a person as she actually exists, with all of the positive and negative traits that she embodies.
What is the importance of mother and infant living together?
Mother and infant living together: -Experiencing the daily routine of both psychological and physical care such as eating, grooming, and interacting through mundane tasks are important for the baby's proper development.
What are the three things that a child experiences in relationship to the mother and father?
Father, mother, and infant, all three living together: The dynamics and interactions that the child experiences in relationship to the mother and father influence the child's experience and expectations of what family relationships will be like later in life. Holding: Actual physical affection and holding including cuddling, holding hands, ...
Who wrote the object relation theory of personality?
Fairbairn, W. R. D. (1952). An Object-Relations Theory of the Personality. New York: Basic Books.
What was the conflict between Klein and object relations theory?
Within the London psychoanalytic community, a conflict of loyalties took place between Klein and object relations theory (sometimes referred to as "id psychology"), and Anna Freud and ego psychology. In America, Anna Freud heavily influenced American psychoanalysis in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.
What is the effect of introjection on object relations?
The effect of introjection on object relations is equally important. The introjection of the good object, first of all the mother’s breast, is a precondition for normal development . . . It comes to form a focal point in the ego and makes for cohesiveness of the ego. . . .
What is Kleinian theory?
The positions of Kleinian theory, underlain by unconscious phantasy, are stages in the normal development of ego and object relationships, each with its own characteristic defenses and organizational structure.
How did Fairbairn use the concept of splitting as a defense?
Fairbairn's "moral defense" is the tendency seen in survivors of abuse to take all the bad upon themselves, each believing he is morally bad so his caretaker object can be regarded as good. This is a use of splitting as a defense to maintain an attachment relationship in an unsafe world. Fairbairn introduced a four-year-old girl with a broken arm to a doctor friend of his. He told the little girl that they were going to find her a new mommy. "Oh no!" the girl cried. "I want my real mommy." "You mean the mommy that broke your arm?" Fairbairn asked. "I was bad," the girl replied. She needed to believe that her love object (mother) was all good, so that she could believe she would one day receive the love and nurturing she needed. If she accepted her mother was bad, then she would be bereft and alone in the world, an intolerable state. She used the Moral Defense to make herself bad, but preserve her mother's goodness.
What are the first objects in a person?
The first "object" in someone is usually an internalized image of one's mother. Internal objects are formed by the patterns in one's experience of being taken care of as a baby, which may or may not be accurate representations of the actual, external caretakers. Objects are usually internalized images of one's mother, father, or primary caregiver, although they could also consist of parts of a person such as an infant relating to the breast or things in one's inner world (one's internalized image of others). Later experiences can reshape these early patterns, but objects often continue to exert a strong influence throughout life. Objects are initially comprehended in the infant mind by their functions and are termed part objects. The breast that feeds the hungry infant is the "good breast", while a hungry infant that finds no breast is in relation to the "bad breast". With a "good enough" facilitating environment, part object functions eventually transform into a comprehension of whole objects. This corresponds with the ability to tolerate ambiguity, to see that both the "good" and the "bad" breast are a part of the same mother figure.
Who explored the dynamic nature of the positions?
Wilfred Bion articulates the dynamic nature of the positions, a point emphasised by Thomas Ogden, and expanded by John Steiner in terms of '"The equilibrium between the paranoid-schizoid and the depressive positions"'. Ogden and James Grotstein have continued to explore early infantile states of mind, and incorporating the work of Donald Meltzer, Ester Bick and others, postulate a position preceding the paranoid-schizoid. Grotstein, following Bion, also hypothesizes a transcendent position which emerges following attainment of the depressive position. This aspect of both Ogden and Grotstein's work remains controversial for many within classical object relations theory.
Who developed object relations theory?
As can be seen from the above quotation, object relations theory is part of the modality of psychoanalysis. It began with Sigmund Freud, who initially emphasised ‘the instinctual (inner) drives towards the significance of needing or seeking relationships with other people, and the developmental stages ...
What is object relation?
Object relations has been defined as ‘the relationships within a person’s inner world and between this inner world of relationships and the external relationships with significant others, which are often then internalised’.
What is the definition of object relations?
Feltham and Dryden (1993: 123) define ‘object relations’ as ‘the relationships within a person’s inner world and between this inner world of relationships and the external relationships with significant others, which are often then internalised’. They continue: ‘The word “object” in psychoanalysis refers to a person or persons ...
How is object relations theory used in therapy?
How Objects Relations Theory is Used in Therapy. Freudian psychoanalysis forms the basis for object relations therapy. Work is typically long-term and involves intense analysis. There are different schools of thought on the detail of how object relations theory is used in therapy.
What is Fairbairn's object relation?
Fairbairn’s object relations are more purely relational than Klein’s in that real interactions rather than fantasy are afforded primary consideration. Despite his retention of traditional analytic terminology, Fairbairn was one of the first to give meaning to the object relational contention that an ego or true self develops outside the context of interpersonal relationships. (Cashdan, 1988: 12)
What is the theory of unconscious phantasy?
Developing a Theory of Unconscious Phantasy. Klein’s (1923) theory of the unconscious is based in the phantasy life of the infant from birth. Her ideas elucidated how infants processed their anxieties around feeding and relating to others as objects and part-objects.
What does Klein mean when she says that babies fall asleep while sucking on their fingers?
Thus, Klein would say that infants who fall asleep while sucking on their fingers are fantasizing about having their mother’s good breast inside themselves.
Why was Klein rejected?
Psychoanalyst Jaqueline Rose (1993) has noted that, especially in the USA, Klein’s work has been rejected because of her violence and negativity. Klein herself wrote: ‘My method presupposes that I have been from the beginning willing to attract to myself the negative as well as the positive transference’.
How long did it take for the Oedipus complex to develop?
Oedipus Complex. At a conference in Salzberg in 1924, Klein dared to place the Oedipal complex at around one to two years – a much earlier stage than Freud’s six to seven years. Where Freud’s development of the superego was seen as a good thing, Klein (1945) saw a hostile superego developing at the oral stage.
What is the meaning of the phrase "the ego is incapable of splitting the object"?
Klein wrote that ‘The Ego is incapable of splitting the object – internal and external – without a corresponding splitting taking place within the Ego...
What is the developmental stage of the first four to six months called?
The Paranoid-Schizoid Position. The Paranoid-Schizoid Position. Klein (1946) called the developmental stage of the first four to six months the paranoid-schizoid position. Rooted in primal phantasy, Klein’s infant is far darker and more persecuted than the Freudian pleasure-seeking narcissist.
What is Klein's theory of the unconscious?
Klein’s (1921) theory of the unconscious focused on the relationship between the mother–infant rather than the father–infant one, and inspired the central concepts of the Object Relations School within psychoanalysis. Klein stressed the importance of the first 4 or 6 months after birth.
What Is the Goal?
The goal of object relations therapy is to help people improve relationships by improving the way they function internally. A therapist will review patients' childhood object relations to see how those interactions may influence their current relationships.
How does object relations therapy help with relationships?
You might feel like you are investing a lot of time into your relationships, but you might not use that time effectively if you are viewing your relationships through an incorrect lens. Most theorists believe that your earliest interactions as a child play a large part in how you view your current relationships. So if you are struggling now, it may be directly linked to the way you viewed relationships as a child. Object relations therapy can improve current relationships by addressing unhealthy patterns from the past.
What is object relations therapy?
The goal of object relations therapy is to help people improve relationships by improving the way they function internally. A therapist will review patients' childhood object relations to see how those interactions may influence their current relationships.
What is online therapy?
Online therapy makes getting treatment simple and convenient. If you are struggling in your current relationships with patterns that you can trace back to earlier in life, you may benefit from object relations therapy. Start looking for a professional that you connect with, with whom you can explore this therapy today.
What did Donald Winnicott believe about children?
He believed that children should be encouraged to develop independence while simultaneously being reassured that they are protected from danger. His theory suggests that children can develop "false selves" if caregivers do not properly attend to a child's needs. However, if the child is accurately seen and accepted, their true self will emerge.
What is Melanie Klein's theory of child psychics?
Melanie Klein is most often credited with founding object relations therapy. Her theory focuses on the first few months of a child's life.
Can you have unhealthy relationships as an adult?
If you had unhealthy relationships with those closest to you as a child, then it can be difficult for you to have healthy relationships as an adult. While you most likely don't even know that you are doing it, you are projecting object relations from your past (such as with your mother or father) onto the people with whom you are intimately involved today. This can lead to unhealthy adult relationships and negative patterns that repeat themselves, no matter how hard you try to break them.
Basic Concepts in Object Relations
Development and History of Object Relations
- Object relations theory is composed of the diverse and sometimes conflicting ideas of various theorists, mainly Melanie Klein, Ronald Fairbairn, and Donald Winnicott. Each of their theories place great emphasis on the mother-infant bond as a key factor in the development of a child’s psychic structure during the first three years of life. 1. Kleini...
Who Practices Object Relations?
- Psychologists, psychotherapists, counselors, and social workers may earn certification in object relations therapy from one of several training institutions across the country. For example, the International Psychotherapy Institute (IPI), formerly the International Institute of Object Relations Theory, offers a two-year certificate program in Object Relations Theory and Practice for profess…
Goals of Object Relations Therapy
- Object relations therapy focuses on helping individuals identify and address deficits in their interpersonal functioning and explore ways that relationships can be improved. A therapist can help people in therapy understand how childhood object relations impact current emotions, motivations, and relationships and contribute to any problems being faced. Aspects of the self t…
Object Relations Techniques
- Many of the techniques used in object relations therapy are similar to those employed in psychoanalytic and other psychodynamic therapies. The primary distinction lies in the therapist's way of thinking about what is happening in the therapeutic exchange. For example, in classical psychoanalysis, transferencetends to be carefully analyzed, as it is thought to provide valuable i…
Limitations of Object Relations Therapy
- Early object relations therapists were criticized for underestimating the biological basis of some conditions, such as autism, learning difficulties, and some forms of psychosis. The value of object relations therapy in treating such conditions has been debated by many experts. Modern object relation theorists generally recognize that therapy alone is not sufficient for treating certain issu…
Overview
Object relations theory in psychoanalytic psychology is the process of developing a psyche in relation to others in the childhood environment. It designates theories or aspects of theories that are concerned with the exploration of relationships between real and external people as well as internal images and the relations found in them. It maintains that the infant's relationship with the …
Theory
While object relations theory is based on psychodynamic theory, object relations theory places less emphasis on the role of biological drives in the formation of adult personality. The theory suggests that the way people relate to others and situations in their adult lives is shaped by family experiences during infancy. For example, an adult who experienced neglect or abuse in infancy would expect similar behavior from others who remind them of the neglectful or abusive parent …
History
The initial line of thought emerged in 1917 with Ferenczi and, early in the 1930s, Sullivan, coiner of the term "interpersonal". British psychologists Melanie Klein, Donald Winnicott, Harry Guntrip, Scott Stuart, and others extended object relations theory during the 1940s and 1950s. Ronald Fairbairn in 1952 independently formulated his theory of object relations.
The term has been used in many different contexts, which led to different connotations and den…
Kleinian object relations theory
Klein termed the psychological aspect of instinct unconscious phantasy (deliberately spelled with 'ph' to distinguish it from the word 'fantasy'). Phantasy is a given of psychic life which moves outward towards the world. These image-potentials are given a priority with the drives and eventually allow the development of more complex states of mental life. Unconscious phantasy in the infant's emerging mental life is modified by the environment as the infant has contact with re…
Ronald Fairbairn's model of object relations theory
Fairbairn was impressed with the work of Klein, particularly in her emphasis on internalized objects, but he objected to the notion that internalization of external objects was based on death instinct. The death instinct is a remnant of the Freudian model that was emphasized in Klein's model, and her model assumes that human behavior is motivated by a struggle between the instinctual forces of love and hate. Klein believed that each human being was born with a inborn …
Continuing developments in the theory
Attachment theory, researched by John Bowlby and others, has continued to deepen our understanding of early object relationships. While a different strain of psychoanalytic theory and research, the findings in attachment studies have continued to support the validity of the developmental progressions described in object relations. Recent decades in developmental psychological research, for example on the onset of a "theory of mind" in children, has suggeste…
See also
• Attachment theory
• Bizarre object
• Defense mechanisms
• Egocentrism
• Family therapy
Further reading
• Fairbairn, W. R. D. (1952). An Object-Relations Theory of the Personality. New York: Basic Books.
• Gomez, L. (1997). An Introduction to Object Relations Theory. London: Free Association Press. ISBN 1-85343-347-0
• Masterson, James F. (1988). The Search for the Real Self. ISBN 0-02-920291-4