The Theory of Object Relations
OTTO KERNBERG
THE THEORY OF OBJECT RELATIONS
Kernberg generally defines object relations theory as the psychoanalytic study of intrapersonal relations and how intrapsychic structures grow from internalized past relationships with others.
Broadly, object relations theory could refer to a general theory of the structures of the mind influenced by interpersonal experiences.
More narrowly, object relations theory is a more circumspect approach within psychoanalysis, stressing the construction of structures from internal objects – that is, self-representations linked with object-representations.
I. STRUCTURE:
Object
An Object is a mental image of a person, a mental image colored with feelings. Kernberg’s work examines the formation of structures within the intrapsychic world of the individual. Objects may be both real or things in one's inner world (one's internalized image of himself/others).
Internalizing object relations has three parts: an image of the object in the environment, an image of the self in interaction with the object, and a feeling that colors the object-image and the self-image under the influence of whatever drive present at the time of interaction, ordinarily frustration or pleasure.
An attempt to synthesize Drive Theory from Object Relations was made by Kernberg. By these units, he mixes the drive model and the object relations model by having the self- representation and the object- representation build up under the influence of libidinal and aggressive drives or aspects of drives that filter into experience.
Kernberg says that Freud “clearly differentiated drives from instincts”, drive being psychological motivators of behavior and instincts being biological behavior patterns activated by the environment.
Kernberg did not merely say that the units of object relations serve as building blocks of psychic structures. He makes up the claim that they also build up the drives. “Good” and “Bad” mean pleasurable or unpleasurable as
THE THEORY OF OBJECT RELATIONS
Kernberg generally defines object relations theory as the psychoanalytic study of intrapersonal relations and how intrapsychic structures grow from internalized past relationships with others.
Broadly, object relations theory could refer to a general theory of the structures of the mind influenced by interpersonal experiences.
More narrowly, object relations theory is a more circumspect approach within psychoanalysis, stressing the construction of structures from internal objects – that is, self-representations linked with object-representations.
I. STRUCTURE:
Object
An Object is a mental image of a person, a mental image colored with feelings. Kernberg’s work examines the formation of structures within the intrapsychic world of the individual. Objects may be both real or things in one's inner world (one's internalized image of himself/others).
Internalizing object relations has three parts: an image of the object in the environment, an image of the self in interaction with the object, and a feeling that colors the object-image and the self-image under the influence of whatever drive present at the time of interaction, ordinarily frustration or pleasure.
An attempt to synthesize Drive Theory from Object Relations was made by Kernberg. By these units, he mixes the drive model and the object relations model by having the self- representation and the object- representation build up under the influence of libidinal and aggressive drives or aspects of drives that filter into experience.
Kernberg says that Freud “clearly differentiated drives from instincts”, drive being psychological motivators of behavior and instincts being biological behavior patterns activated by the environment.
Kernberg did not merely say that the units of object relations serve as building blocks of psychic structures. He makes up the claim that they also build up the drives. “Good” and “Bad” mean pleasurable or unpleasurable as