Object Relations Theory

Libido is object seeking. A fresh take on object relations.

1941: A Revised Psychopathology of the Psychoses and Psychoneuroses

Mentions Edward Glover

Schizoid

• Introvert
• Splitting of the ego

The comprehensive meaning which I have come to attach to the concept of ‘Schizoid’ may perhaps best be indicated by the statement that, according to my findings, the schizoid group corresponds to the group to which the Jungian concept of ‘Introvert’ would apply. The fundamental feature of an overtly schizoid state (as indeed the term implies) is a splitting of the ego;

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 29). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Oral-based

Neurotism

• Paranoid
• Obsessional
• Hysterical
• Phobic

Nevertheless, my own findings leave me in equally little doubt that the paranoid, obsessional, and hysterical states—to which may be added the phobic state—essentially represent, not the products of fixations at specific libidinal phases, but simply a variety of techniques employed to defend the ego against the effects of conflicts of an oral origin.

Schizoid:

There can be no question of the correctness of relating schizoid conditions to a fixation in the earlier oral phase characterized by the dominance of sucking.

Manic depressive:

Nor, for that matter, can there be any doubt about the correctness of attributing manic-depressive conditions to a fixation in the later oral phase characterized by the emergence of biting.

Paranoic:

There can be no doubt that, as Abraham pointed out so clearly, the paranoiac employs a primitive anal technique for the rejection of his objects, the obsessional employs a more developed anal technique for gaining control of his objects, and the hysteric attempts to improve his relationship with his objects by a technique involving a renunciation of the genital organs.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 29-30). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Genital phases are attitudes

A deep analysis of the phallic attitude invariably reveals the presence of an underlying oral fixation associated with phantasies of a fellatio order. The phallic attitude is thus dependent upon an identification of the object’s genital organs with the breast as the original part-object of the oral attitude—an identification which is characteristically accompanied by an identification of the subject’s genital organs with the mouth as a libidinal organ. The phallic attitude must, accordingly, be regarded, not as representing a libidinal phase, but as constituting a technique; and the same holds true of the anal attitudes.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 33). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

The ‘anal phases’ and the ‘phallic phase’ largely represent attitudes based upon this technique [See: autoerotism below].

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 34). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Fresh take on Libido and objects

The ultimate goal of libido is the object

The great limitation of the present libido theory as an explanatory system resides in the fact that it confers the status of libidinal attitudes upon various manifestations which turn out to be merely techniques for regulating the object-relationships of the ego.

in its search for the object libido is determined by similar laws to those which determine the flow of electrical energy, i.e. it seeks the path of least resistance.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 31-32). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Autoerotism is essentially a technique whereby the individual seeks not only to provide for himself what he cannot obtain from the object, but to provide for himself an object which he cannot obtain.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 34). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Object substitution

Even the baby must have a libidinal object; and, if he is deprived of his natural object (the breast), he is driven to provide an object for himself. Thumb-sucking thus represents a technique for dealing with an unsatisfactory object-relationship; and the same may be said of masturbation.

Autoerotism is essentially a technique whereby the individual seeks not only to provide for himself what he cannot obtain from the object, but to provide for himself an object which he cannot obtain.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 33-34). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Fresh take on Psychosexual development

At the same time, it must be stressed that it is not in virtue of the fact that the genital level has been reached that object-relationships are satisfactory. On the contrary, it is in virtue of the fact that satisfactory object-relationships have been established that true genital sexuality is attained.

it is based upon a failure to recognize that the function of libidinal pleasure is essentially to provide a sign-post to the object.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 33). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

whole course of libidinal development depends upon the extent to which objects are incorporated and the nature of the techniques which are employed to deal with incorporated objects.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 34). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Transitioning

the development of object-relationships is essentially a process whereby infantile dependence upon the object gradually gives place to mature dependence upon the object.

This process of development is characterized

(a) by the gradual abandonment of an original object-relationship based upon primary identification, and

(b) by the gradual adoption of an object-relationship based upon differentiation of the object.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 34). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Accepted / rejected object:

Dichotomy of the object may be defined as a process whereby the original object, towards which both love and hate have come to be directed, is replaced by two objects—an accepted object, towards which love is directed, and a rejected object, towards which hate is directed.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 35). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Fresh take: Oedipus complex

The guilt attached to the Œdipus situation, accordingly, is derived not so much from the fact that this situation is triangular as from the facts

(1) that the incestuous wish represents a demand for parental love which does not seem freely bestowed, and

(2) that there has arisen in the child a sense that his own love is rejected because it is bad.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 37). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Consequences of stunted object dependence

Neuorsis

The conflict is one between (a) a developmental urge to advance to an attitude of mature dependence upon the object, and (b) a regressive reluctance to abandon the attitude of infantile dependence upon the object.

What has convinced me of the paramount importance of the object-relationship is the analysis of patients displaying schizoid characteristics; for it is in such individuals that difficulties over relationships with objects present themselves most clearly. During the course of analysis, such an individual provides the most striking evidence of a conflict between an extreme reluctance to abandon infantile dependence and a desperate longing to renounce it; and it is at once fascinating and pathetic to watch the patient, like a timid mouse, alternately creeping out of the shelter of his hole to peep at the world of outer objects and then beating a hasty retreat.

They manifest in paranoid / obsessional / hysterical / phobic:

It is also illuminating to observe how, in his indefatigable attempts to emerge from a state of infantile dependence, he resorts by turns to any or all four of the transitional techniques which have been described—the paranoid, obsessional, hysterical, and phobic.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 39). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Sexual deviance

See also: Object substitution

Frustration of his desire to be loved as a person and to have his love accepted is the greatest trauma that a child can experience; and it is this trauma above all that creates fixations in the various forms of infantile sexuality to which a child is driven to resort in an attempt to compensate by substitutive satisfactions for the failure of his emotional relationships with his outer objects.

Fundamentally these substitutive satisfactions (e.g. masturbation and anal erotism) all represent relationships with internalized objects, to which the individual is compelled to turn in default of a satisfactory relationship with objects in the outer world. Where relationships with outer objects are unsatisfactory, we also encounter such phenomena as exhibitionism, homosexuality, sadism, and masochism; and these phenomena should be regarded as in no small measure attempts to salvage natural emotional relationships which have broken down. Valuable as it is to understand the nature of these ‘relationships by default’, such understanding is much less important than a knowledge of the factors which compromise spontaneous relationships. By far the most important of these factors is a situation in childhood which leads the individual to feel that his objects neither love him as a person nor accept his love. It is when such a situation arises that the inherent libidinal drive towards the object leads to the establishment of aberrant relationships and to the various libidinal attitudes which accompany them.

Fairbairn, W. R. D.. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 39-40). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Healthy development needs

(a) that he is genuinely loved as a person by his parents, and (b) that his parents genuinely accept his love.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality (p. 39). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Fun facts

• Analyzed Harry Guntrip, pseudonym of "Jack"
• Part of controversial papers discussion with Melanie Klein and the concept of "phantasy"
• Member of the "independent group" of psychoanalysts

Bibliography

• Padel, J. (1991) Fairbairn's thought on the relationship of inner and outer worlds. Free Association, 2, (4) 589-615.

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