bad breast

in the psychoanalytic theory of Melanie Klein, the internalized representation (see introjection) of the mother’s breast as absent or unsatisfying. According to Klein, the infant first experiences the mother and the nourishing breast as part-objects with positive qualities—the good breast—and negative qualities—the bad breast. Klein thought that the development of these internalized representations of the breast was the first manifestation of splitting.

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Psychology term of the day

February 22nd 2025

Machiavellian hypothesis

the hypothesis that the evolution of intelligence, especially in its social aspects, was largely dependent on behavior characterized by a desire and striving for power. According to the hypothesis, individuals who are more Machiavellian in their behavior are more likely to be successful in adaptation and thus more likely to spread their genes to future generations. [Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527), Italian political theorist]