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.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

February 22nd 2025

imaging

1. the process of scanning the brain or other organs or tissues to obtain an optical image that can be used for medical and research purposes, such as locating abnormalities or studying anatomy and function. Techniques used include computed tomography, positron emission tomography (PET), anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (aMRI), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The imaging may be either static or dynamic. See also brain imaging; nuclear imaging.

2. in therapy, the use of suggested mental images to control body function, including the easing of pain. See also imagery technique; visualization.