Chapter 11: self development part 2

Question 1

Object-relations theory

Answer 1

Social relationships are critical to psychological development

Early social experiences form a child’s pattern of relating to others in the world

We incorporate our experience of others into a mental representation or “object”

Question 2

Margaret Mahler

Answer 2

Children develop a mental representation of themselves through the separation-individuation process

Question 3

Mahler’s Separation-Individuation Process

Answer 3

SYMBIOSIS
Birth to 6 months; infant is “fused” with mother

SEPARATION-INDIVIDUATION
Gradual exploration away from the mother
Represents period of inner conflict: desire for individuation, but also reunion/comfort from love object

INTERNALIZED OBJECT RELATION
Age 3: Mother is with child symbolically all the time
Child will always relate to mother based on this “object”
Object is generalized to other people throughout lifetime

Question 4

Self Psychology

Answer 4

Born with self-centered needs that must be satisfied by others (selfobject)
* selfobjects are extensions of self

First selfobjects are parents
Parents “mirror” child by responding to and gratifying his/her narcissistic needs
Child is center of the universe, feels all-important

Question 5

Healthy development of SELF

Answer 5

Grandiosity is modified or tempered, and channeled into realistic activities

Question 6

Unhealthy development of SELF

Answer 6

Insufficient mirroring = unmet needs → deeper narcissistic needs during adulthood

Question 7

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Answer 7

Adolescence is time of turbulence

Basic conflict: desire to figure out who you are, and what is your place in the world

Question 8

Adolescent identity development has two components (James Marcia)

Answer 8

Crisis: question who we are and what we know about ourselves

Commitment: reach a conclusion or decision about ourselves; decide who we are

Based on these two components, adolescents achieve an “identity status”

Question 9

Identity Achievement

Answer 9

identity commitment

Question 10

Identity Foreclosure

Answer 10

identity commitment, but based on roles/goals defined by others

Question 11

Identity Diffusion

Answer 11

no commitment, not even trying really

Question 12

Identity Moratorium

Answer 12

no commitment, desperately trying

Question 13

Ethnic Identity Development (Phinney)

Answer 13

EID is affected by culture, acculturation, parenting, and EID of family members

• Unexamined ethnic identity: foreclosure OR diffusion
• Ethnic identity search: moratorium
• Resolution of Conflict: achievement or commitment