Defense Mechanisms and Object Relations as Factors in Marital Satisfaction

Two hundred and seven married men and 202 married women completed the Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI; Ihilevich & Gleser, 1986) and the Marital Satisfaction Inventory (MSI; Snyder, 1981). The DMI was scored to yield defensive as well as object relations indices. Results show that Turning Against the Object exacerbates conflict while Principalization minimizes it. Marital satisfaction is seen as correlated with mastery of object relations. Results are discussed in the context of DMI psychometrics.     

Fringe consciousness in sequence learning: the influence of individual differences

We first describe how the concept of “fringe consciousness” ([Mangan, 1993a], [Mangan, 1993b], [Mangan, 2001] and [Mangan, 2003]) can characterise gradations of consciousness between the extremes of implicit and explicit learning. We then show that the NEO-PI-R personality measure of openness to feelings, chosen to reflect the ability to introspect on fringe feelings, influences both learning and awareness in the serial reaction time (SRT) task under conditions that have previously been associated with implicit learning ([Destrebecqz and Cleeremans, 2001] and [Destrebecqz and Cleeremans, 2003]). This provides empirical evidence for the proposed phenomenology and functional role of fringe consciousness in so-called implicit learning paradigms (Mangan, 1993b). Introducing an individual difference variable also helped to identify possible limitations of the exclusion task as a measure of conscious sequence knowledge. Further exploration of individual differences in fringe awareness may help to avoid polarity in the implicit learning debate, and to resolve apparent inconsistencies between previous SRT studies.     

The influence of complexes on implicit learning

A century ago, Jung looked into the unconscious through complexes by using word association tests. Jung wrote, 'modern psychology with its investigation of complexes has opened up a psychic taboo area riddled with hopes and fears', and complexes remain an unexplored taboo area of research. In the present study, we have investigated the influence of complexes on unconscious cognitive processing, in particular on implicit learning. We have found that complexes shown to disturb conscious cognitive processing in fact enhanced the attention of the subjects and their performance on an implicit learning task. These results suggest that complexes are not just abstractions, but have various actual influences on both conscious and unconscious processing.     

Language in benign childhood epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes abbreviated form: rolandic epilepsy and language

Although Benign Childhood Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes (BECTS) has a good prognosis, a few studies have suggested the existence of language disorders relating to the interictal dysfunction of perisylvian language areas. In this study, we focused on language assessment in 16 children aged 6-15 currently affected by BECTS or in remission. An important proportion of children showed moderate or more severe language impairment. The most affected domains were expressive grammar and literacy skills. We found linguistic deficits during the course of epilepsy but also persistent deficits in children in remission, suggesting possible long-term effects. Our results support the hypothesis that BECTS may be associated with impairment to language and suggest the possibility of a direct link between epileptic activity and language development, and the existence of long-term consequences.     

Response to Donald Kalsched

I have attempted to focus this discussion by looking at three interrelated matters. There is the issue of Sue's final dream – the enigma with which Don Kalsched leaves us. I first have a go at that, from my own, as well as some other, perspectives. Then, there is the question central to this presentation of the archetypal defense itself. What, in fact, arethese defenses, and how is the author using the concept of the ‘archetypal’? Finally, I wouldn't be me if I didn't rise to the bait of Sue's shame, more prevalently peppered throughout the first draft than the present one.     

Mental rotation and temporal contingencies.

A task that requires subjects to determine whether two forms of the same shape, but in different orientations, are mirror images or identical except for orientation is called a handedness recognition task. Subjects' reaction times (RT) on this task are consistently related to the angular disparity (termed alpha) between the two presented forms. This pattern of data has been interpreted to indicate that subjects solve the task by imagining that one of the forms rotates into the orientation of the other (termed mental rotation). The speed with which one imagines one of the forms rotating has been widely considered a fixed capability of the individual, and thus immune to the effect of contingencies. We present an experiment that assesses the effects of temporal contingencies in a handedness recognition task on the slope of the function RT = f(alpha). The data indicate that the slope of this function can come under the control of temporal contingencies.     

Psychological defense mechanisms and electroencephalographic arousal

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between psychological defense as measured by the Kragh tachistoscopic Defense Mechanisms Test (DMT), and general arousal properties of the individual as measured with electroencephalogram (EEG). The DMT assesses defense by presenting neutral and threatening pictures with very short exposure times. EEG characteristics were measured in the 8–12 Hz EEG frequency band during DMT testing. Twenty-one male subjects participated in the study. All were US Air Force personnel on active duty. Personnel with high defense mechanisms, defined in this connection as slow perception of the threat, tended to have higher cortical arousal after Stimulus exposure than the subjects with low defense mechanisms. The differences occurred mainly with new stimulus material without any threatening content. The differences in arousal response to novel stimuli may contribute to an understanding of the relationships between the Kragh DMT test and performance in life-threatening situations.     

Freud's theory of paranoid delusion based on the Schreber case contrasted with related theories

The historic importance of Freud's analysis of the Schreber case is acknowledged, even though the theory it expounds is largely disavowed. The theory ascribes the cause of paranoid delusion to homosexual impulses unresolved in infancy or early childhood. This paper summarizes Freud's monograph on Schreber and contrasts his theory with the views of various revisionists. The writers focus on the Freudian concept of projection, which is intended to explain how much meaning can become reversed under the impetus of stress, and the reversal lead to delusional thinking. Based on their work in family therapy, where they observed one form of pathogenic relating termed learning to be possessed, the writers concluded that this form was also based on a type of projection which could culminate in delusional ideation. A relationship between learning to be possessed and H. S. Sullivan's theory of paranoid transformation is described. A learning factor is present in several of the psychological theories advanced to explain delusion, and the factor is akin to if not identical with Freud's concept of projection.Gerald Zuk, PhD, is in private practice at 25316 Pacy Street, Santa Clarita, California 91321-3343. Carmen Zuk, MD, is a child psychiatrist-partner affiliated with the Southern California Permanente Medical Group at its psychiatric clinic in Van Nuys, California. Both may be reached by telephone at (805) 252-7702.     

Facial reactions to fear-relevant stimuli for subjects high and low in specific fear

This study was performed to investigate whether subjects high and low in fear of snakes react with different facial electromyographic (EMG) responses when exposed to snakes. Two groups of subjects were exposed to slides of snakes or flowers. After the experiment they rated their fear of snakes on a questionnaire and based on these ratings they were divided into high and low fear groups. Facial EMG was measured from the corrugator and zygomatic muscle regions. As predicted the high fear group reacted with a facial response interpretable as a negative emotional reaction whereas the low fear group did not. This difference was specific to snakes because high and low groups did not differ in responses to slides of flowers. The results are consistent with the proposition that facial EMG technique is a sensitive tool to distinguish reactions between subjects high and low in specific fears.