The concept of character: moral and therapeutic considerations

This paper discusses the relationship between the psychoanalytic concept of character and the moral considerations of 'character'. Both psychoanalysis (and dynamic psychotherapy) as well as moral philosophy are concerned with judgements of right and wrong. Though psychotherapists take a non-judgemental attitude toward those in treatment, there are implicit judgements based on the expectation of a developmental progression toward 'maturity' and the ability to value actions which go beyond the self. The history of the term character in the psychoanalytic literature is reviewed to show how character is dealt with in psychodynamic psychotherapy as well as the similarity of the concerns of the psychotherapist and the moral philosopher.