depressive position

in the object relations theory of Melanie Klein, the stage of infant development that reaches its peak at about 6 months of age. In the depressive position, the infant begins to perceive the good object and bad object as a single whole and feels guilt for having attacked the good object during the preceding paranoid-schizoid position. In this—Klein’s most mature—phase of primary psychological organization, the infant fears that he or she will lose or destroy the good object and attempts to make reparation for earlier hostility. It is thought that maintenance of the depressive position fluctuates throughout the lifespan and that the lack of capacity for this position is tied to severe pathology.

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Psychology term of the day

November 18th 2024

Rogerian therapy

see client-centered therapy.