Anxiety in Interpersonal Relations/Personifications/Dissociations

These flashcards cover key concepts regarding anxiety in interpersonal relationships as discussed in Sullivan's theory, including the formation of personifications and the concept of dissociation.

What produces anxiety according to Sullivan?

Interpersonal relationships.

How is anxiety transmitted?

Through induction, such as a parent's anxiety being transmitted to the child; this exemplifies the principle of empathy.

What forms to protect the individual from anxiety?

The self-system.

What are personifications?

Defensive mental images or representations that help reduce relational anxiety.

How can personifications form?

Under anxiety, a person constructs images to predict others’ behavior, for example, a child predicting the mother’s reactions.

What personifications can form about oneself?

The 'Good Self' and 'Bad Self'.

What are shared personifications?

Stereotypes and prejudices.

What is dissociation in Sullivan’s theory?

A pathological process where threatening experiences are isolated into a 'not-self.'