Psychoanalytic models of the mind and their contributions to personality research

Abstract

Psychoanalytic theory is fundamentally a cognitive theory—a series of attempts to understand the functioning of the human mind. The purpose of this paper is to review the various psychoanalytic models of the mind and to demonstrate how a contemporary psychoanalytic model of the mind, the representational model, derives from earlier psychoanalytic models, how it is congruent with many aspects of contemporary cognitive and developmental theory, and how it provides a theoretical basis for the systematic investigation of personality development, psychopathology, and the therapeutic process. Research using a representational psychoanalytic model is discussed. Open‐ended descriptions of self and significant others (mother, father, and therapist) were evaluated using ratings scales derived from developmental cognitive and psychoanalytic theories. Aspects of these ratings were related significantly to independent assessments of the quality of interpersonal attachment and to the degree of therapeutic change in long‐term, intensive, inpatient treatment of seriously disturbed, treatment‐resistant patients. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mental Representation, Severe Psychopathology, and the Therapeutic Process

“…This theoretical progression in psychoanalytic thought parallels a shift from a Cartesian theory of mind, in which the self stands transcendentally at the center of the universe, to a Hegelian perspective, in which self and other mutually constitute each other through dialogue (Auerbach and Blatt in press b). This shift in psychoanalytic thought is parallel also to the broader transition in scientif ic thought from a Cartesian-Newtonian conception of the universe, in which the observer stands apart from the f ield of observation, to a quantum conception of the universe, in which the observer is an essential part of the f ield (see Blatt and Blatt 1984;Blatt 1999).…”

“…As Table 2 indicates, those qualities are af fectionate, ambitious, malevolentbenevolent, cold-warm, degree of constructive involvement, intellectual, judgmental, negative-positive ideal, nurturant, punitive, successful, and strong-weak. 2 Previous research indicates acceptable levels of interrater reliability with this procedure (Blatt et al 1979(Blatt et al , 1988Bornstein and O'Neill 1992;Levy, Blatt, and Shaver 1998).…”

“…of dif ferentiation and relatedness (Diamond et al 1991) and the thematic content of descriptions of signif icant others (Blatt et al 1979(Blatt et al , 1988 and the self (Blatt et al 1991).…”

Mental Representation, Severe Psychopathology, and the Therapeutic Process

“…This theoretical progression in psychoanalytic thought parallels a shift from a Cartesian theory of mind, in which the self stands transcendentally at the center of the universe, to a Hegelian perspective, in which self and other mutually constitute each other through dialogue (Auerbach and Blatt in press b). This shift in psychoanalytic thought is parallel also to the broader transition in scientif ic thought from a Cartesian-Newtonian conception of the universe, in which the observer stands apart from the f ield of observation, to a quantum conception of the universe, in which the observer is an essential part of the f ield (see Blatt and Blatt 1984;Blatt 1999).…”

“…As Table 2 indicates, those qualities are af fectionate, ambitious, malevolentbenevolent, cold-warm, degree of constructive involvement, intellectual, judgmental, negative-positive ideal, nurturant, punitive, successful, and strong-weak. 2 Previous research indicates acceptable levels of interrater reliability with this procedure (Blatt et al 1979(Blatt et al , 1988Bornstein and O'Neill 1992;Levy, Blatt, and Shaver 1998).…”

“…of dif ferentiation and relatedness (Diamond et al 1991) and the thematic content of descriptions of signif icant others (Blatt et al 1979(Blatt et al , 1988 and the self (Blatt et al 1991).…”

Self-System Therapy (SST): A Theory-Based Psychotherapy for Depression.

“…The patient's self-regulatory style becomes the target of therapeutic change, rather than the patient's interpersonal roles. Because it is grounded in a developmental perspective, the logic of SCA is also similar to the conceptualizations of contemporary psychodynamic therapists like Benjamin (1999) and Blatt (Blatt & Auerbach, 2000), who emphasize the significance of relationships and relationship patterns for the development of self-concept and self-evaluation.…”

The pantheoretical nature of mental representations and their ability to predict interpersonal adjustment in a nonclinical sample.

“…The concept refers to templates that structure how one experiences oneself and others, and are believed to serve as heuristic guides that organize experiences and modulate affects and behaviors, particularly in interpersonal relationships (Blatt, Auerbach, & Levy, 1997). Contemporary psychoanalytic theory integrates classical psychoanalysis with research in infant development (e.g., Lichtenberg, 1983;Stern, 1985) and cognitive developmental theories including object relations (e.g., Blatt, 1974Blatt, , 1995Fairbairn, 1952;Kernberg, 1976Kernberg, , 2005 and attachment theories (e.g., Ainsworth, 1969;Bowlby, 1969Bowlby, , 1973 and has considered mental representations of early relationships a central theoretical tenet for understanding personality development, psychopathology, and the therapeutic process (Blatt & Auerbach, 2000). Recently, contemporary interpersonal theories of personality (Benjamin, 2003;Horowitz, 2004;Pincus, 2005a) have also emphasized the importance of mental representations and attachment concepts by reintroducing psychoanalytic constructs and intrapsychic processes into models of adjustment grounded in Sullivanian thinking (Anchin & Pincus, 2010;Benjamin, 2005;Pincus & Cain, 2008;Pincus, Lukowitsky, & Wright, 2010).…”

Mental Representation, Severe Psychopathology, and the Therapeutic Process

“…This theoretical progression in psychoanalytic thought parallels a shift from a Cartesian theory of mind, in which the self stands transcendentally at the center of the universe, to a Hegelian perspective, in which self and other mutually constitute each other through dialogue (Auerbach and Blatt in press b). This shift in psychoanalytic thought is parallel also to the broader transition in scientif ic thought from a Cartesian-Newtonian conception of the universe, in which the observer stands apart from the f ield of observation, to a quantum conception of the universe, in which the observer is an essential part of the f ield (see Blatt and Blatt 1984;Blatt 1999).…”

“…As Table 2 indicates, those qualities are af fectionate, ambitious, malevolentbenevolent, cold-warm, degree of constructive involvement, intellectual, judgmental, negative-positive ideal, nurturant, punitive, successful, and strong-weak. 2 Previous research indicates acceptable levels of interrater reliability with this procedure (Blatt et al 1979(Blatt et al , 1988Bornstein and O'Neill 1992;Levy, Blatt, and Shaver 1998).…”

“…of dif ferentiation and relatedness (Diamond et al 1991) and the thematic content of descriptions of signif icant others (Blatt et al 1979(Blatt et al , 1988 and the self (Blatt et al 1991).…”

Self-System Therapy (SST): A Theory-Based Psychotherapy for Depression.

“…The patient's self-regulatory style becomes the target of therapeutic change, rather than the patient's interpersonal roles. Because it is grounded in a developmental perspective, the logic of SCA is also similar to the conceptualizations of contemporary psychodynamic therapists like Benjamin (1999) and Blatt (Blatt & Auerbach, 2000), who emphasize the significance of relationships and relationship patterns for the development of self-concept and self-evaluation.…”

The pantheoretical nature of mental representations and their ability to predict interpersonal adjustment in a nonclinical sample.

“…The concept refers to templates that structure how one experiences oneself and others, and are believed to serve as heuristic guides that organize experiences and modulate affects and behaviors, particularly in interpersonal relationships (Blatt, Auerbach, & Levy, 1997). Contemporary psychoanalytic theory integrates classical psychoanalysis with research in infant development (e.g., Lichtenberg, 1983;Stern, 1985) and cognitive developmental theories including object relations (e.g., Blatt, 1974Blatt, , 1995Fairbairn, 1952;Kernberg, 1976Kernberg, , 2005 and attachment theories (e.g., Ainsworth, 1969;Bowlby, 1969Bowlby, , 1973 and has considered mental representations of early relationships a central theoretical tenet for understanding personality development, psychopathology, and the therapeutic process (Blatt & Auerbach, 2000). Recently, contemporary interpersonal theories of personality (Benjamin, 2003;Horowitz, 2004;Pincus, 2005a) have also emphasized the importance of mental representations and attachment concepts by reintroducing psychoanalytic constructs and intrapsychic processes into models of adjustment grounded in Sullivanian thinking (Anchin & Pincus, 2010;Benjamin, 2005;Pincus & Cain, 2008;Pincus, Lukowitsky, & Wright, 2010).…”

Mental Representation, Severe Psychopathology, and the Therapeutic Process

“…This theoretical progression in psychoanalytic thought parallels a shift from a Cartesian theory of mind, in which the self stands transcendentally at the center of the universe, to a Hegelian perspective, in which self and other mutually constitute each other through dialogue (Auerbach and Blatt in press b). This shift in psychoanalytic thought is parallel also to the broader transition in scientif ic thought from a Cartesian-Newtonian conception of the universe, in which the observer stands apart from the f ield of observation, to a quantum conception of the universe, in which the observer is an essential part of the f ield (see Blatt and Blatt 1984;Blatt 1999).…”

“…As Table 2 indicates, those qualities are af fectionate, ambitious, malevolentbenevolent, cold-warm, degree of constructive involvement, intellectual, judgmental, negative-positive ideal, nurturant, punitive, successful, and strong-weak. 2 Previous research indicates acceptable levels of interrater reliability with this procedure (Blatt et al 1979(Blatt et al , 1988Bornstein and O'Neill 1992;Levy, Blatt, and Shaver 1998).…”

“…of dif ferentiation and relatedness (Diamond et al 1991) and the thematic content of descriptions of signif icant others (Blatt et al 1979(Blatt et al , 1988 and the self (Blatt et al 1991).…”

Self-System Therapy (SST): A Theory-Based Psychotherapy for Depression.

“…The patient's self-regulatory style becomes the target of therapeutic change, rather than the patient's interpersonal roles. Because it is grounded in a developmental perspective, the logic of SCA is also similar to the conceptualizations of contemporary psychodynamic therapists like Benjamin (1999) and Blatt (Blatt & Auerbach, 2000), who emphasize the significance of relationships and relationship patterns for the development of self-concept and self-evaluation.…”

The pantheoretical nature of mental representations and their ability to predict interpersonal adjustment in a nonclinical sample.

“…The concept refers to templates that structure how one experiences oneself and others, and are believed to serve as heuristic guides that organize experiences and modulate affects and behaviors, particularly in interpersonal relationships (Blatt, Auerbach, & Levy, 1997). Contemporary psychoanalytic theory integrates classical psychoanalysis with research in infant development (e.g., Lichtenberg, 1983;Stern, 1985) and cognitive developmental theories including object relations (e.g., Blatt, 1974Blatt, , 1995Fairbairn, 1952;Kernberg, 1976Kernberg, , 2005 and attachment theories (e.g., Ainsworth, 1969;Bowlby, 1969Bowlby, , 1973 and has considered mental representations of early relationships a central theoretical tenet for understanding personality development, psychopathology, and the therapeutic process (Blatt & Auerbach, 2000). Recently, contemporary interpersonal theories of personality (Benjamin, 2003;Horowitz, 2004;Pincus, 2005a) have also emphasized the importance of mental representations and attachment concepts by reintroducing psychoanalytic constructs and intrapsychic processes into models of adjustment grounded in Sullivanian thinking (Anchin & Pincus, 2010;Benjamin, 2005;Pincus & Cain, 2008;Pincus, Lukowitsky, & Wright, 2010).…”