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Incorporating a concept of altruism into psychoanalytic theory
Author(s) -
Nielsen Mary L.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
international journal of applied psychoanalytic studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.314
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 1556-9187
pISSN - 1742-3341
DOI - 10.1002/aps.248
Subject(s) - psychoanalytic theory , altruism (biology) , psychodynamics , psychology , impulse (physics) , psychoanalysis , id, ego and super ego , remorse , individualism , social psychology , element (criminal law) , epistemology , philosophy , economics , law , quantum mechanics , market economy , political science , physics
This paper proposes the existence of an intrinsic, non‐conflictual altruistic impulse, and presents arguments from human behavior studies, evolutionary theory, attachment theory, and psychoanalytic writings to support this thesis. Altruism has been previously regarded as a defensive phenomenon based on assumptions about the superego, competitiveness, individualism, and self‐interested libido. This paper proposes that the element of primary other‐orientedness makes possible a non‐neurotic component of oedipal resolution, based on triadic love. Finally, the paper defines remorse as an altruistic or other‐oriented repair. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.