The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique

Krause Rainer; Goetzmann Lutz; Ruettner Barbara

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12

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The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique

Krause Rainer, Goetzmann Lutz, Ruettner Barbara

Published in American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (Volume 10, Issue 4)

Received: 26 July 2022 Accepted: 4 November 2022 Published: 16 November 2022

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Abstract

Background: Projective identification is a term widely used in the psychoanalytic literature to describe primary and unconscious communication, usually between two individuals. The process is of high clinical relevance, especially in the therapy of borderline conditions, although the individual mechanisms are unclear. An important aspect of projective identification is a bodily experience. Current questions are how this bodily experience arising from the countertransference can be used therapeutically. Methods: The research is based on experience with supervisions, results of scientific research and psychodynamic literature. Results: We are aware that the term projective identification is quite commonly used to support the impression, the bodily feelings of the therapist are induced by the patient. In the following, based on Ogden's concept we will try to determine the model much finer than the three-phasic one and give it a general experimental empirical psychological basis. This will be undermined with two clinical case vignettes. A further clarification of its general psychological foundations that goes back to Freud will be tried. It will be shown that the use of the concept of mirror neurons as an explanation poses equal questions. Conclusion: Projective identification is a complex transdisciplinary concept that should be further explored from both a psychodynamic and neurobiological point of view. Bodily experiences certainly form the basis of projective projection. This should be taken into account in further scientific investigations.

Published in	American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (Volume 10, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12
Page(s)	169-175
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Affect Exchange, Facial Affect, Clinical Case Studies, Projective Identification, Metaanalytic Theories

References

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Krause Rainer, Goetzmann Lutz, Ruettner Barbara. (2022). The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique. American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 10(4), 169-175. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12

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Krause Rainer; Goetzmann Lutz; Ruettner Barbara. The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique. Am. J. Psychiatry Neurosci. 2022, 10(4), 169-175. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12

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AMA Style

Krause Rainer, Goetzmann Lutz, Ruettner Barbara. The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique. Am J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2022;10(4):169-175. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12,
  author = {Krause Rainer and Goetzmann Lutz and Ruettner Barbara},
  title = {The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique},
  journal = {American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience},
  volume = {10},
  number = {4},
  pages = {169-175},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajpn.20221004.12},
  abstract = {Background: Projective identification is a term widely used in the psychoanalytic literature to describe primary and unconscious communication, usually between two individuals. The process is of high clinical relevance, especially in the therapy of borderline conditions, although the individual mechanisms are unclear. An important aspect of projective identification is a bodily experience. Current questions are how this bodily experience arising from the countertransference can be used therapeutically. Methods: The research is based on experience with supervisions, results of scientific research and psychodynamic literature. Results: We are aware that the term projective identification is quite commonly used to support the impression, the bodily feelings of the therapist are induced by the patient. In the following, based on Ogden's concept we will try to determine the model much finer than the three-phasic one and give it a general experimental empirical psychological basis. This will be undermined with two clinical case vignettes. A further clarification of its general psychological foundations that goes back to Freud will be tried. It will be shown that the use of the concept of mirror neurons as an explanation poses equal questions. Conclusion: Projective identification is a complex transdisciplinary concept that should be further explored from both a psychodynamic and neurobiological point of view. Bodily experiences certainly form the basis of projective projection. This should be taken into account in further scientific investigations.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique
AU - Krause Rainer
AU - Goetzmann Lutz
AU - Ruettner Barbara
Y1 - 2022/11/16
PY - 2022
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12
DO - 10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12
T2 - American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
JF - American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
JO - American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
SP - 169
EP - 175
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2330-426X
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12
AB - Background: Projective identification is a term widely used in the psychoanalytic literature to describe primary and unconscious communication, usually between two individuals. The process is of high clinical relevance, especially in the therapy of borderline conditions, although the individual mechanisms are unclear. An important aspect of projective identification is a bodily experience. Current questions are how this bodily experience arising from the countertransference can be used therapeutically. Methods: The research is based on experience with supervisions, results of scientific research and psychodynamic literature. Results: We are aware that the term projective identification is quite commonly used to support the impression, the bodily feelings of the therapist are induced by the patient. In the following, based on Ogden's concept we will try to determine the model much finer than the three-phasic one and give it a general experimental empirical psychological basis. This will be undermined with two clinical case vignettes. A further clarification of its general psychological foundations that goes back to Freud will be tried. It will be shown that the use of the concept of mirror neurons as an explanation poses equal questions. Conclusion: Projective identification is a complex transdisciplinary concept that should be further explored from both a psychodynamic and neurobiological point of view. Bodily experiences certainly form the basis of projective projection. This should be taken into account in further scientific investigations.
VL - 10
IS - 4
ER -

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Author Information

Krause Rainer

Saarland Institute of Psychoanalysis, German Psychoanalytic Society, Saarbrucken, Germany
Goetzmann Lutz

Institute of Philosophy, Psychoanalysis and Cultural Studies, Berlin and University of Luebeck, Germany
Ruettner Barbara

Department of Clinical Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

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Krause Rainer, Goetzmann Lutz, Ruettner Barbara. (2022). The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique. American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 10(4), 169-175. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12

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Krause Rainer; Goetzmann Lutz; Ruettner Barbara. The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique. Am. J. Psychiatry Neurosci. 2022, 10(4), 169-175. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12

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AMA Style

Krause Rainer, Goetzmann Lutz, Ruettner Barbara. The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique. Am J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2022;10(4):169-175. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12,
  author = {Krause Rainer and Goetzmann Lutz and Ruettner Barbara},
  title = {The Idea of Projective Identification-Metatheory and Treatment Technique},
  journal = {American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience},
  volume = {10},
  number = {4},
  pages = {169-175},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.20221004.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajpn.20221004.12},
  abstract = {Background: Projective identification is a term widely used in the psychoanalytic literature to describe primary and unconscious communication, usually between two individuals. The process is of high clinical relevance, especially in the therapy of borderline conditions, although the individual mechanisms are unclear. An important aspect of projective identification is a bodily experience. Current questions are how this bodily experience arising from the countertransference can be used therapeutically. Methods: The research is based on experience with supervisions, results of scientific research and psychodynamic literature. Results: We are aware that the term projective identification is quite commonly used to support the impression, the bodily feelings of the therapist are induced by the patient. In the following, based on Ogden's concept we will try to determine the model much finer than the three-phasic one and give it a general experimental empirical psychological basis. This will be undermined with two clinical case vignettes. A further clarification of its general psychological foundations that goes back to Freud will be tried. It will be shown that the use of the concept of mirror neurons as an explanation poses equal questions. Conclusion: Projective identification is a complex transdisciplinary concept that should be further explored from both a psychodynamic and neurobiological point of view. Bodily experiences certainly form the basis of projective projection. This should be taken into account in further scientific investigations.},
 year = {2022}
}

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