Re:Object Relations Theory

I may be giving away a long entrusted secret here, as analytic thinking is part of a somewhat intellecual elitist tradition, and the Freudian theoretical context will be missing, but I'll give it a shot.

Object relations theory is really just the concept that the human mind develops through interaction with other people.

Instead of focusing on instinctual drives as Freud did, various students of his way of thinking instead focused on "objects of attachment" during early development, especially early caregivers. It thus overlaps into its offshoot, attachment theory, the theory of how bonds of attachment form in early life and how they may affect later life.

Sometimes, though, the "objects" do become literal objects, as when the theory is extended to explain kids getting attached to security blankets and teddy bears.

I'm assuming you wanted to very barest outline in simplistic form, this will obviously seem silly to those who have had some exposure to the field already.

kind regards,

Todd

Replies:

Re:Object Relations Theory, by , 04/13/01 Re:Object Relations Theory, by emidesu, 02/10/02

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