Intro to Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud

Developed the structural model of the psyche (id, ego, superego) and introduced psychosexual development stages.

Defense mechanisms

Psychological strategies used to cope with reality and maintain self-image, including repression and sublimation.

Anna Freud

Expanded ego psychology and child psychoanalysis, introducing developmental lines and advanced child analysis techniques.

Donald Winnicott

Known for concepts like the true self/false self, transitional objects, and the holding environment.

Melanie Klein

Pioneer in object relations theory and introduced paranoid-schizoid and depressive positions.

Jacques Lacan

Focused on language and the symbolic order in psychoanalysis, known for ideas like the mirror stage.

W.R.D. Fairbairn

Emphasized object-seeking behavior and introduced splitting as a defense mechanism.

John Bowlby

Developed attachment theory highlighting the biological basis of the child-caregiver bond.

Types of attachment behavior identified by Bowlby:

secure, anxious-avoidant, and disorganized.

Selma Fraiberg

Authored 'Ghosts in the Nursery' which emphasizes intergenerational trauma transmission.

Sándor Ferenczi

Known for 'Confusion of Tongues' addressing betrayal trauma in caregiver-child dynamics.

Harry Stack Sullivan

Emphasized the interpersonal field and parataxic distortions in relational dynamics.

Lewis Aron

Stressed the mutual influence of patient and therapist through countertransference.

Mark Solms

Integrated neuroscience with psychoanalysis, exploring the unconscious as brain function outside of awareness.

Nancy Chodorow

Proposed that gender identity emerges from relational experiences.

Judith Butler

Explored themes of melancholia and loss in the formation of gender identity.

Lana Fishkin

Adapted psychoanalysis for non-Western settings, such as in China.

Repression

A defense mechanism of keeping uncomfortable thoughts out of conscious awareness.

Projection

A defense mechanism of attributing one’s unacceptable feelings to others.

Splitting

A defense mechanism of viewing objects or people as wholly good or wholly bad.

Internalization

The process by which early relational experiences shape mental representations.

Transitional Object

An item that helps a child cope with separation from caregivers.

Manifest content

The apparent story of a dream as per Freud's dream interpretation.

Latent content

The hidden, unconscious meaning of a dream.

Separation Anxiety

Distress experienced from caregiver separation as identified by Bowlby.

Ghosts in the Nursery

Concept explaining how unresolved parental trauma unconsciously affects caregiving.

Countertransference

The emotional reactions of the therapist toward the patient.

Parataxic Distortion

Misinterpretations of present relationships based on past relational patterns.

Oral Stage

The first stage (0-1 year) where pleasure centers on the mouth (sucking, biting).

Anal Stage

The second stage (1-3 years) focusing on bowel control and the pleasure of retaining or eliminating feces.

Phallic Stage

The third stage (3-6 years) characterized by the Oedipus complex and focus on genital awareness.

Latency Stage

The fourth stage (6-puberty) where sexual feelings are repressed and focus is on social skills and relationships.

Genital Stage

The final stage (puberty onward) where mature sexual intimacy occurs and interest in relationships develops.

Secure Attachment

A positive attachment style characterized by trust, comfort with intimacy, and a healthy balance of independence and connection.

Anxious-Avoidant Attachment

An attachment style marked by discomfort with closeness, emotional distancing, and reluctance to rely on others.

Disorganized Attachment

An attachment style where individuals display a lack of clear attachment behavior, often due to unresolved trauma.

Characteristics of Secure Attachment

Individuals show high self-esteem, effective communication, and resilience in relationships.

Characteristics of Anxious-Avoidant Attachment

Individuals may experience low self-esteem, fear of intimacy, and difficulty expressing needs.

Characteristics of Disorganized Attachment

Individuals may exhibit anxiety, confusion in relationships, and unpredictable behavior towards caregivers.

Id

The primitive and instinctual part of the psyche that operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification of desires.

Ego

The rational part of the psyche that mediates between the id and reality, operating on the reality principle to fulfill desires in realistic ways.

Superego

The moral component of the psyche that incorporates societal standards and ideals, often internalizing parental values.

Sublimation

A defense mechanism where socially unacceptable impulses or idealizations are transformed into socially acceptable actions or behaviors, such as channeling aggressive energy into sports or art.

Mirror Stage

A developmental phase in early childhood where a child recognizes their own reflection, leading to the formation of the 'I' and the establishment of the ego.

The Real

In Lacanian theory, a state of existence that is beyond language and symbolization; it's what remains ungraspable and cannot be fully articulated.

The Imaginary

A realm of images, illusions, and visual identifications in which the ego is formed, often associated with the mirror stage and the formation of self.

The Symbolic

The domain of language, laws, and social structures; it is where the subject is immersed in the network of signifiers that shape identity and reality.

Paranoid-Schizoid Position

A concept from Melanie Klein that describes the earliest phase of mental development characterized by splitting of objects into 'good' and 'bad', where the individual experiences extreme anxieties and defenses against perceived threats.

Depressive Position

A later stage of mental development identified by Melanie Klein, where the individual begins to integrate 'good' and 'bad' objects, resulting in feelings of guilt and concern for others, representing a more mature understanding of relationships.

Developmental Lines

A concept introduced by Anna Freud that describes the progression of psychological functions and skills in children as they grow, tracking their emotional and social competencies from dependency to autonomy.