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The mind as a complex internal object: inner estrangement.

Charles Levin1

  • 1Canadian Institute of Psychoanalysis, Montreal, Canada. charleslevin@videotron.ca

The Psychoanalytic Quarterly
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PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The psyche actively scrutinizes itself, not merely containing or seeking external objects. This self-directed action is crucial for psychoanalytic growth and developing internal intersubjectivity.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychoanalytic theory
  • Psychology
  • Clinical psychology

Background:

  • The psyche is often viewed as a passive container or an object-seeking entity.
  • Interpersonal object relations theory has emphasized internalizations shaping personality.

Observation:

  • The psyche actively engages in self-scrutiny through various mechanisms.
  • Clinical material reveals the mind's capacity to act upon itself.

Findings:

  • The psyche is an active agent, capable of self-reflection and self-modification.
  • Focusing on the psyche's self-relationship is vital for the psychoanalytic process.

Implications:

  • This perspective enhances our understanding of psychic functioning beyond internalizations.
  • Fostering internal intersubjectivity is a key outcome of recognizing the psyche's self-acting nature.