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Defense mechanism correlates of orality
R F Bornstein1, R P Greenberg, D R Leone
1Gettysburg College.
The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Oral dependency in males is linked to specific defense mechanisms. This study found that higher oral dependency correlates with turning-against-self defenses and less outward-directed aggression.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychoanalytic Theory
Background:
- Oral dependency is a well-researched concept, but its relationship with defense mechanisms remains largely unexplored.
- Understanding the defensive styles associated with oral dependency is crucial for a comprehensive psychoanalytic profile.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between orality (oral dependency) and defense mechanism utilization.
- To explore how oral dependency manifests in the choice of defense mechanisms in male and female subjects.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted with undergraduate participants.
- Study 1: Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI) and Group Rorschach test for oral dependent content.
- Study 2: DMI and Lazare-Klerman Trait Scale.
Main Results:
- Orality was positively related to turning-against-self (TAS) defenses in males.
- Orality was negatively related to turning-against-object (TAO) and outward-directed aggression (AGG) defenses in males.
- No significant relationship was found between obsessiveness, hysteria, and TAS, TAO, or AGG scores in either sex.
Conclusions:
- Oral dependency in males is associated with specific defensive patterns, particularly TAS.
- The findings contribute to understanding the psychoanalytic concept of oral dependency and its behavioral correlates.
- Further research may explore these relationships in diverse populations.