The organization of the self-representation and its influence on pathology

Units within the self-representation provide the quality for ego activity. The ego selects and cathects the appropriate unit of the self-representation. Oedipal identifications internalize the ego capacity to maintain the self-representation and its stability. Conflict can promote instability within the self-representation requiring special defenses to deal with the narcissistic stress. Such narcissistic conflict can arise at all levels of maturity.