[The role of initiative in early emotional development. Organization of the second semester]

This article describes the most significant events in the second semester of emotional life. Based on empirical data and on various techniques devised by the author, points of convergence with other theories and other observations are described. Spontaneous gestures and essential expressions of the true (nuclear) self suggest that initiative, as an organizer of motricity, and self experience play a central role in the construction of the psyche. These elements would represent a first level of organization. The role of environment is considered as facilitating or inhibiting this development. The reasons of these attitudes are to be found in the fantasy world of the mother and in her preconscious attitudes. Among maternal functions, the author emphasizes mirror function in the enlarged sense he suggests. Simultaneously initiative, development of active will can be observed in the fights and confronting behaviors which aim at supporting initiative. Environmental efforts to suppress these behaviors lead to submission. The latter develops into two types of pathology: 1) reaction pathology with formation of a "false self" and 2) over-adaptation pathology with predominant psychosomatic disturbances. The possibility of negotiating, presently explored by he author, suggests some interesting further research that could have important bearings on theory and clinical practice, both in prevention and early intervention.