Psychosocial theories Flashcards
According to the object relation theory, a bond to another person is
A fundamental egofunction
Mahler
The seperation, individuation process takes place from the 6th months. Baby starts to accept seperate existence, very safe. With seperation anxiety can develop. if it’s too quick.
3 stages according to Mahler +months
Normal autistic stage (0-5)
normal Symbiotic stage (untill 5-6)
Seperation - individuation stage (6+)
Normal autistic Stage
(0-5): Spends time sleeping: not interested in the outside world
Normal Symbiotic stage
(untill 5-6) Like Loevingers 1st stage. No boundaries between child & mother, but the child senses that there are boundaries in the world.; gain movement: i wanna explore but i want my mothers safety.
Seperation - individuation stage
(6+) development of boundaries
1: Hatching: rupture of the secure shell: infants attention shifts to external world
2: practising: 9-16: more and more exploration, possible to walk and crawl. still ONE with the mother
3: rapproachment (15-24) solution for distance when exploring: maintaining eyecontact or physical contact with the parent. (risky period: be available but NOT restrictive)
inherent conflic: to be take core of others vs to be autonomous.
Object constancy
at 3 the stable mental representation is built, object relation is internalized. this is our first experience so we use this as a model for subsequent close relations
Kohut
Self psychology
‘people have self-centered needs that can be satisfied through others only
Kohut stages
1: feeling of grandiosity: all-importance. (mirroring is important here)
2: grandiosity turns into ambition and self-esteem.
when inadequate mirroring happens: deep narcissstic needs remain
horney
Basic Anxiety: a deeply rooted sense of insecurity exists in evetone and this can be reduced by secure, affectionate relationships but it remains there. –> we develop strategies to combat it and to save our existing relationships
Stategies by Horney if we feel uncertainty
Hating disloyal people: striking back
Win back love by submission
developing an inflated self-concept
Attachment theory Ainsworth
Experiment where children were observed:
- amount of exploration
- reaction when parent leaves the room
- childs behavior with behaviour
- childs behaviour when parent enters the room again
Findings of Ainsworth
1) Secure attachment: Child shows distress in absence, and happiness in return of the mother
2) insecure:
a) Ambivalent/resistant: upset leaves and rejection/anger in return
b) Avoidant: no reaction
c) disorganized: contradictory behaviour
Mothers behaviour at ABC of insecure attachment
a) ambivalent: resonsive, available and synchronous
b) avoidant: inconsistant replies
c) disorganized: not available: distant
Patterns in ABC in adults
a) ambivalent: a long lasting relationships
b) avoidant: less acceptance of other imperfections
c) disorganized: Love as obsession: highs and lows.
