Object Relations Psychoanalysis as Political Theory

This article examines the political contents of object relations psychoanalysis, a theory that perceives dependence as the natural state of all humans. Unlike the views advanced by the classical state-of-nature models of Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau, object relations perceives humans in their original state as already grouped and driven by an urge to associate. Company (rather than privacy, property, or political participation) stands out as the basic right, and all the other rights follow on it as instruments for fulfilling it. The primacy of care lends itself to the justification of distributive measures meant to bolster family cohesion and individual confidence at the expense of the open market. The theory is therefore compatible with the premises of the social-democratic welfare state.     

Associative symmetry by pigeons after few-exemplar training

The present experiment investigated whether pigeons can show associative symmetry on a two-alternative matching-to-sample procedure. The procedure consisted of a within-subject sequence of training and testing with reinforcement, and it provided (a) exemplars of symmetrical responding, and (b) all prerequisite discriminations among test samples and comparisons. After pigeons had learned two arbitrary-matching tasks (A-B and C-D), they were given a reinforced symmetry test for half of the baseline relations (B1-A1 and D1-C1). To control for the effects of reinforcement during testing, two novel, nonsymmetrical responses were concurrently reinforced using the other baseline stimuli (D2-A2 and B2-C2). Pigeons matched at chance on both types of relations, thus indicating no evidence for symmetry. These symmetrical and nonsymmetrical relations were then directly trained in order to provide exemplars of symmetry and all prerequisite discriminations for a second test. The symmetrical test relations were now B2-A2 and D2-C2 and the nonsymmetrical relations were D1-A1 and B1-C1. On this test, 1 pigeon showed clear evidence of symmetry, 2 pigeons showed weak evidence, and 1 pigeon showed no evidence. The previous training of all prerequisite discriminations among stimuli, and the within-subject control for testing with reinforcement seem to have set favorable conditions for the emergence of symmetry in nonhumans. However, the variability across subjects shows that methodological variables still remain to be controlled.     

The Lure of Motherhood

A multivariate exploration of motivations for parenthood in 184 unmarried, childless, female college undergraduates indicated that positive memories of early childhood maternal love, traditional feminine sex-role identification and antifeminist sympathy were the primary unique psychological variables accounting for expressed desire for children. Significantly correlated with parenthood motivation, but not contributing uniquely, were memories of father's loving care, perceptions of maternal success at, and enjoyment of, childrearing, and happiness of childhood. Women from large families (three or more siblings) expressed more desire for children than women from smaller families. Religious affiliation and birth order were not related to motivation.     

Can We Talk? Commentary on “The Body/Mind Dialectic Within the Psychoanalytic Subject: Finding The Analyst's Voice” by Harriet Kimble Wrye

The American Journal of Psychoanalysis -     

THE PROSPECT OF PARENTHOOD FOR WOMEN AND MEN

This study, which involved older subjects of both sexes (113 women, 75 men) and variables drawn from a psychodynamic perspective, is an extension of an earlier investigation that explored parenthood motivation in young women. Though feminism was not significantly related to motivation for older subjects of either sex, in both investigations psychological variables accounted for greater variance in female motivation than did demographic variables. The uniquely significant psychological variables in this investigation were narcissism, self-esteem, and memories of father's love. However, demographic variables alone accounted for differences in male motivation. Perceived importance of having a child to the fulfillment of life values was studied as well, with self-esteem, judged effect on one's own parents, and age as instrumental variables for women, and religious background, socioeconomic status, age, and marital status as key correlates for men.