OBJECT RELATIONS THEORIES AND SELF PSYCHOLOGY

Object Relations and Self Psychology Object relations refers to interpersonal relations

2. Object refers to that which will satisfy a need. Significant person or thing that is target of another's feelings (drives).

3. In combination with relations, object refers to interpersonal relations and suggests inner residues of past relations shaping present relations

4. Object relations theorists investigate the early formulation and differentiation of psychological structure and how these inner structures are manifested in interpersonal situations

5. Theorists focus on relationships of early life that leave lasting impression within the psyche of the individual.

1. Residues…inner
49. If relationship with parents is good, ego is while; if bad the infant establishes compensating internal objects

Jacobson, Kernberg, and Kohut
50. Develop models that integrate object relations without sacrificing instinctual drives in explaining development and motivation. Kohut develops the concept of narcissistic investment in objects.
52. Sees objects in relation to self - objects are part of self, performing functions of the self that self is not able to do
53. Kohut makes drives secondary and focuses on the self and early relations with self object – that is, an object perceived as omnipotent and carrying out crucial self-esteem functions for the self.

Structure
Psychological organization and the constituent parts of self 4. Devisate from Dreud

Nature and Function of Psychic Structure Structure – the constituent part of the person
8. Observer cannot see inner organization, but a stable pattern and consistency of behavior can be seen Freud saw ego was dependent on the id for energy O.R. theorists look to the influence of external objects to build the internal structure
55. Structural formation involves aspects of the child’s world has been abandoned as an external object and taken into the ego as a process of identification… becoming part of the child’s internal world Freud called it the superego…others see it as a part of the ego.
57. Taking an object in implies establishing