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Free association and changing models of mind
1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center.
The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Psychoanalytic free association, traditionally linked to drive theory, remains valuable when reconceptualized for two-person psychology. This method aids analysts in uncovering unconscious processes and prioritizing patient-led insights.
Area of Science:
- Psychoanalysis
- Psychology
Background:
- Free association, a core psychoanalytic concept, originated within a one-person, intrapsychic drive psychology framework.
- A divergence exists between psychoanalysts adhering to classical drive theory and those adopting relational, two-person perspectives, impacting the use of free association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the dichotomy in the application of free association within psychoanalysis.
- To re-examine the utility of free association when decoupled from drive theory and viewed through a relational lens.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of the free association method within psychoanalytic theory.
- Examination of its relevance in both classical drive psychology and contemporary two-person, relational models.
Main Results:
- Free association retains clinical value across psychoanalytic orientations when reconceptualized.
- The method serves as a reminder of fundamental psychoanalytic discoveries, including unconscious mental life and psychic determinism.
- It underscores the importance of disciplined listening and patient-centered approaches.
Conclusions:
- Free association, when adapted to a two-person psychology, remains a vital clinical tool.
- It facilitates the analysis of the analyst's own biases within the therapeutic process.
- The method supports core psychoanalytic principles regardless of theoretical orientation.