The Evolved Structure of Human Social Behaviour and Personality: Psychoanalytic Insights

297 Pages·2012·9.697 MB·English

by  Ralf-Peter Behrendt

THE EVOLVED STRUCTURE OF HUMAN SOCIAL
BEHAVIOUR AND PERSONALITY

THE EVOLVED STRUCTURE
OF HUMAN SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
AND PERSONALITY
Psychoanalytic Insights
Ralf-Peter Behrendt
First published in 2012 by
Karnac Books Ltd
118 Finchley Road
London NW3 5HT
Copyright © 2012 by Ralf-Peter Behrendt
The right of Ralf-Peter Behrendt to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with
§§ 77 and 78 of the Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A C.I.P. for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN-13: 978-1-78049-115-8
Typeset by V Publishing Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Chennai, India
Printed in Great Britain
www.karnacbooks.com
CONTENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR xiii
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction 1
CHAPTER TWO
Deterministic metapsychology 5
2.1 Instinct and drive 5
2.1.1 Cathexis 6
2.1.2 Objects and emotions 7
2.1.3 Transformations 8
2.1.4 Instinctive motor patterns 10
2.1.5 Ritualisation 12
2.1.6 Appetitive behaviour 14
2.1.7 Drive as energy 16
2.1.8 Drive reduction 17
2.2 Situation and emotion 18
2.2.1 Contextual conditioning 19
2.2.2 Bodily resonance 19
2.2.3 Emergency emotions 20
2.2.4 Emotional action modes 21
2.2.5 Psychic reality 23
2.2.6 Compulsion to repeat 25
2.2.7 Hippocampus 26
2.3 Inner world and self 27
2.3.1 Thought 28
2.3.2 Introspection 29
v
vi CONTENTS
2.3.3 Voluntary behaviour 30
2.3.4 Fantasy 32
2.3.5 Internal object relations 33
2.3.6 The ego 33
2.3.7 Narcissistic cathexis 34
2.3.8 Mnemonic processes 35
2.3.9 Self-idealisation 36
2.3.10 Self as another 38
2.4 Summary 39
2.4.1 Consciousness 40
2.4.2 Hippocampus 42
2.4.3 The self 43
2.4.4 Synthesis 45
CHAPTER THREE
Aggression 47
3.1 Ethology 48
3.1.1 Phylogenetic ritualisation 49
3.1.2 Defence and offence 50
3.1.3 Affective cost–benefit analysis 52
3.1.4 Macaque behavioural development 52
3.1.5 Distrust and contempt 53
3.1.6 Expulsion reaction 54
3.2 Control of the attachment object 54
3.2.1 Frustration and punishment 55
3.2.2 Loss 56
3.2.3 Hatred 56
3.3 Social control 57
3.3.1 Induction of submission 57
3.3.2 Neutralisation and attitudes 58
3.3.3 Internalisation of social status 59
3.3.4 Projection 60
3.4 Regulation of self-esteem 61
3.4.1 Striving for superiority 61
3.4.2 Desire to impress 62
3.4.3 Status and security 63
3.4.4 Humiliation 63
3.4.5 Identity 65
3.4.6 Self-deception 66
3.5 Neurotic manifestations 66
3.5.1 Grandiosity and entitlement 67
3.5.2 Vindictiveness 68
3.5.3 Concealed hostility 69
3.5.4 Self-hate 70
3.5.5 Envy 70
CONTENTS vii
3.6 Clinical aspects of violence 71
3.6.1 Criminal aggressiveness 72
3.6.2 Reaction to threat 72
3.6.3 Low frustration threshold 74
3.6.4 Predatory or instrumental aggression 74
3.7 Summary 75
CHAPTER FOUR
Submission and harm avoidance 79
4.1 Appeasement 80
4.1.1 Evolving complexity 81
4.1.2 Infantilisms 82
4.1.3 Greetings 83
4.1.4 Smile 84
4.1.5 Bond formation 84
4.2 Compliance 85
4.2.1 Avoidance learning 86
4.2.2 Traditions and norms 87
4.2.3 False self 88
4.2.4 Inner dictates 89
4.3 Superego 90
4.3.1 Fear of punishment 91
4.3.2 Ego ideal 92
4.3.3 Procurement of narcissistic supplies 93
4.3.4 Ego psychology 93
4.3.5 Defences against superego cruelty 94
4.4 Masochism 96
4.4.1 Moral masochism 96
4.4.2 Submergence in misery 97
4.4.3 Drive towards oblivion and devotion to a cause 97
4.5 Summary 97
CHAPTER FIVE
Praise and acceptance 101
5.1 Infantile development 102
5.1.1 Perceptual propensities 103
5.1.2 Affect mirroring and synchronisation 104
5.1.3 Intersubjective relatedness 105
5.1.4 Tenderness and play 106
5.1.5 Attention seeking 107
5.1.6 Autism 108
5.1.7 Attachment 109
5.1.8 Psychic proximity 110
5.2 Solicitation of approval 110
5.2.1 Infantilisms 111
viii CONTENTS
5.2.2 Narcissistic needs 113
5.2.3 Selfobjects 113
5.2.4 The self as measure of approvability 114
5.2.5 Significant and confirming others 116
5.2.6 Companionable interactions 117
5.2.7 Controlling the social situation 118
5.3 Characterological enhancement of approvability 119
5.3.1 Idealisation and identification 120
5.3.2 Reaction formation 121
5.3.3 Compensation 122
5.3.4 Sublimation 122
5.3.5 Regression 123
5.4 Neurotic dependence on approval 124
5.4.1 Insecurity 125
5.4.2 Rebuff 125
5.4.3 Search for glory 126
5.4.4 Pride 127
5.5 Narcissism 127
5.5.1 Primary and secondary narcissism 128
5.5.2 Child development 129
5.5.3 Ego feeling 131
5.5.4 Idealising transference 132
5.5.5 Mirror transference 133
5.5.6 Fantasy 134
5.6 Summary 134
CHAPTER SIX
Anxiety 139
6.1 Developmental lines 141
6.1.1 Distress vocalisations 141
6.1.2 Proximity seeking 142
6.1.3 Stranger anxiety and neophobia 143
6.1.4 Fear over loss of love 144
6.1.5 Shame 144
6.1.6 Fear of punishment 145
6.1.7 Pain of rejection 145
6.2 Social relatedness 146
6.2.1 Reinforcement learning 148
6.2.2 Existential analysis 148
6.2.3 Interpersonal theory 149
6.2.4 Ego interests 150
6.2.5 Object relations 151
6.3 Ego defences 153
6.3.1 Repression 154
6.3.2 Psychotaxis 155
6.3.3 Conditional actions and counteractions 156
CONTENTS ix
6.3.4 Denial 157
6.3.5 Displacement 158
6.3.6 Rationalisation 158
6.4 Neurotic behaviour 159
6.4.1 Modesty and withdrawal 159
6.4.2 Hostility and its inhibition 160
6.4.3 Deceit and self-deception 161
6.5 Guilt 162
6.5.1 Longing for forgiveness 163
6.5.2 Sensitivity to disapproval 164
6.5.3 Self-recriminations 164
6.6 Neurotic thinking 165
6.6.1 Conflict and hesitation 166
6.6.2 Intellectualisation 167
6.6.3 Obsessionality 168
6.6.4 Paranoia 169
6.7 Summary 169
CHAPTER SEVEN
Object relations theory 173
7.1 Object-ego differentiation 174
7.1.1 Affective understanding 175
7.1.2 Mirror stage 175
7.1.3 Primary identification 176
7.1.4 Failure to outgrow infantile dependence 177
7.2 Paranoid-schizoid position 177
7.2.1 Persecutory fear 178
7.2.2 Splitting 178
7.2.3 Aggressive control 179
7.2.4 Idealisation 179
7.3 Depressive position 179
7.3.1 Defences against guilt 180
7.3.2 Trust and gratitude 180
7.3.3 Reactivation of depressive anxiety 181
7.4 Superego development 181
7.4.1 Reciprocal introjection and projection 182
7.4.2 Mastering superego pressures 183
7.4.3 Ego ideal 183
7.5 Oedipus complex 184
7.5.1 Tolerating the third object 185
7.5.2 Identification with the third object 185
7.5.3 Symbolic relations 186
7.6 Imaginary relationships 187
7.6.1 Talking to oneself 187
7.6.2 Anticipation of approval 188
7.6.3 Splitting of the ego 188