Object Relations Theory

Front 1

Derivative of___?

Back 1

Psychoanalytic and Ego Psychology

Front 2

Focus?

Back 2

reciprocal relationship between mother and infant and its effect on infant's development of sense of self

Front 3

Contributers

Back 3

Mahler, Spitz, Bowlby

Hint 3

See attachment Theory

Front 4

Summary

Back 4

Individuals born with drive to develop sense of self and others along with motivation to build interpersonal relationsihps. Indivdiuals' sense of self and others affects all subsjequent interpersonal relationships.

Front 5

Assumption

Back 5

Psychological life is created through relationships over first three years of life.

Front 6

First three years of life characterized by?

Back 6

establishment of a close symbiotic relationship to a primary caregiver and subsequent dissolution of that relationsihp through separation/differentiation and indivdiuation

Front 7

Developed by

Back 7

Karl Abraham

Hint 7

Klein credited with developing modern theory, particularlyw tih mother as principal object

Front 8

Object Relations

Back 8

refers to the way a child's ego becomes organized over first 3 yeras of life. Occurs in three stages

Front 9

3 stages of development in object relations

Back 9

Autistic, Symbiotic, Separation-Indivdiuation

Front 10

Separation-Indivdiuation Substages

Back 10

Differentaition, Practicing, Rapproachment, Object Constancy

Front 11

Autstic Stage

Back 11

0-1mo
infant focused on himself, unresponsive to external stimuli

Front 12

Symbiotic Stage

Back 12

1-5mo
infant begins to preceive the 'need-satisfying object'.
Mother's ego funcitons for the infant
Infant feels unity with mother but begins to udnerstand mother as separate being

Front 13

Separation indivdiuation stage

Back 13

made up of 4 substages

Front 14

Differentiation sub stage

Back 14

5-9 mo
infants attention shifts from inwardly to outwardly focused
Beings to separate form caretager (e.g. crawling)

Front 15

Practicing substage

Back 15

9-14mo
INfant continues to separate from caretaker. Autonomous ego fucnitons become more apparent
Becomes more mobile and active (walking/playing)

Front 16

Rappraochment Substage

Back 16

14-24 mo
Infant begins to want to act indepdnetly. Moves away from mother but comes back regularly to ensure she is still there

Front 17

Object Constancy Substage

Back 17

24 mo and beyond
Infant internalizes mother and begins to understand that mother exists for him despite his absence