good breast

in the psychoanalytic theory of Melanie Klein, the internalized representation (see introjection) of the mother’s breast as nourishing and satisfying. 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

July 26th 2024

nativism

1. the doctrine that the mind has certain innate structures and that experience plays a limited role in the creation of knowledge. See also innate ideas; nativistic theory. Compare constructivism; empiricism.

2. the doctrine that mental and behavioral traits are largely determined by hereditary, rather than environmental, factors. See nature–nurture.

3. the theory that individuals are born with all perceptual capabilities intact, although some capabilities may depend on the biological maturation of perceptual systems to reach adult levels. —nativist adj., n. —nativistic adj.