How we change what others think, feel, believe and do
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How we change what others think, feel, believe and do |
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Projective identification
Disciplines > Psychoanalysis > Concepts > Projective identification Description | Discussion | See also
DescriptionWhen a person expels a bad object, it may well be onto another person. Projective identification is used to project the bad object into (not onto) another person so it becomes a part of that person. The person then identifies with that other person, and hence has means to control them. The person projected into may consequently be pressured to behave congruently with the projective phantasy. The projecting person may also seek to be physically close to the person into whom the phantasy is projected. Projective identification may also be used to externalize confusing or uncertain aspects of the self so they can be studied more objectively and then re-internalized in a more acceptable form. Another form of projective identification that is associated with the depressive position is a way of expressing unconscious hope for internal change. Projective identification may even be used to put good parts of the self into other people in order to keep them safe, perhaps whilst internal struggles occur. It may again be used to 'put yourself in another's shoes', doing this in order to connect with and hence understand other people. DiscussionProjective identification is an important part of Klein's paranoid-schizoid position and depressive position. Thus the infant projects 'excrements' into the mother such that the dangerous parts of the ego are safely removed but will not be lost. This can also leads to confusion of the self around the identity connection with the external person. Asbach and Sharmer (1987) described how projective identification not only was used as an intrapsychic defense, but also as a way of relating to others. See alsoProjection, Identification, The paranoid-schizoid position, The depressive position Klein, M. (1946), 'Notes on some schizoid mechanisms.' in The Writings of Melanie Klein, Volume III, Hogarth, 1-24 Asbach, C. and Sharmer, Y. (1987). 'Interaction and group dimensions of Kleinian theory'. Journal of the Melanie Klein Society, 5: 43-68
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