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We are driven.

Cordelia Schmidt-Hellerau1

  • 1drcshpd@comcast.net

The Psychoanalytic Quarterly
|December 17, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Metapsychology and psychoanalytic drives are essential for understanding patient material and developing new insights. This work argues for the continued relevance of drive theory in modern psychoanalysis.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychoanalysis
  • Psychology
  • Psychodynamic Theory

Background:

  • The role of metapsychology and drive theory in psychoanalysis has been debated for decades.
  • Objections to drive theory have questioned its continued relevance in contemporary psychoanalytic practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To re-evaluate the significance of metapsychology and drive theory in psychoanalysis.
  • To address common criticisms of drive theory and present modern perspectives.

Main Methods:

  • Review of prominent objections to drive theory.
  • Introduction to contemporary drive theory, including sexual and preservative drives.
  • Exploration of aggression within drive theory.

Main Results:

  • The author advocates for the indispensable nature of drive theory in psychoanalytic understanding.
  • Modern drive theory offers a nuanced view of drives and their relationship to psychic structures.
  • Drives are integral to understanding object relations and self-representation.

Conclusions:

  • Metapsychology and drive theory remain vital components of psychoanalytic thought.
  • Modern drive theory provides essential frameworks for clinical practice and theoretical development.
  • Understanding drives is crucial for a comprehensive psychoanalytic perspective on the self and object relations.

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