Personality Structure and Human Interaction the Development - Hardcover

Guntrip, Harry

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0823641201 ISBN 13: 9780823641208

Publisher: Intl Universities Pr Inc, 1964

Synopsis

Dr. Fairbaim for reading through the parts of this book that concern his views, to check their accuracy; Dr. R. E. D. MarkilU e(L eeds Department of Psychiatry, Member of theB ritish Psycho-A nalytical Society) with whom I have had the opportunity to discuss the whole MS; Dr. J. D. Sutherland (M edical Director, Tavistock Clinic) for his criticism of chapter VII and his kindness in writing a Foreword; and above all Dr. M. Brierley for detailed and valuable criticisms and suggestions. This book contains a certain amount of material that formed the first half of a thesis for the degree of Ph.D., presented to London University in 1953. The title of the thesis wasT he Implications of Recent Trends in Psycho-A nalysis forS ociology .B ya happy coincidence one of the examiners appointed to judge the thesis was my early teacher, the late Professor J. C. Flugel, with whom subsequently I had the advantage of some discussion of its contents. The substance of chapters I, II, V, VIII and IX are taken from the thesis, with some expansion. Chapters III, IV, VI and VII are new, while the sections in the thesis on the views of Melanie Klein andF airbaim have been entirely re-written. Chapters XVII and XVIII are also new. I have to thank London University for permission to reproduce the material indicated. A book of this type, surveying in a detailed and historical way the developments of psychodynamic thought over a period of eighty years, must either make a large use of quotations or else risk subtle distortion by presenting the views of other minds in the present writers own words. I have preferred the former course for the sake of scientific accuracy. I am, therefore, all the more indebted to a long list of authors, Journal editors and publishers. Their permission to use their works thus has made it possible for me to employ this more accurate method. A full list of ever
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)

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Review

How has a theory of man as a social being to be formulated if we are to do justice to his individuality, to the subtle ways in which his love and hate compete within his relations with others and to the anxieties and resistances he shows when he seeks to change himself? To answer this question is the task which the author sets himself.From a background of philosophy, theology and social studies, he went on to take a personal psychoanalysis and to become a full time psychotherapist, and it is from this combination of wide knowledge and intensive work with people beset by conflicts in their relations with themselves and others that Dr. Guntrip evolves his views. After assessing Freud's basic principles he proceeds to make a uniquely comprehensive review of subsequent theoretical contributions to psychoanalysis with special emphasis on the work of Fairbairn and Melanie Klein, as it is in their writings that he considers the most needed developments have been made, namely, the placing of the theory of personality squarely in the realm of human interaction. In the first part of Dr.Guntrip's book all students of personality will find an arresting survey of the development of psychoanalytic thought; in the latter they will meet highly stimulating and profound views on the origins and nature of the conflicting forces in human relationships. In particular he traces the progress of research beyond the problems of guilt and depression to the deeper and graver problems of the inadequate and Schizoid personality; thus finding the causes of mental ill health not in he secondary conflicts over sex and aggression, but in the primary problem of fear, and the struggle to cope with the frightened and helpless child in the depths of the unconscious.

From the Publisher

A profound and important book
How has a theory of man as a social being to be formulated if we are to do justice to his individuality, to the subtle ways in which his love and hate compete within his relations with others and to the anxieties and resistances he shows when he seeks to change himself? To answer this question is the task which the author sets himself.

From a background of philosophy, theology and social studies, he went on to take a personal psychoanalysis and to become a full-time psychotherapist, and it is from this combination of wide knowledge and intensive work with people beset by conflicts in their relations with themselves and others that Dr Guntrip evolves his views. After assessing Freud's basic principles he proceeds to make a uniquely comprehensive review of subsequent theoretical contributions to psychoanalysis with special emphasis on the work of Fairbairn and Melanie Klein, as it is in their writings that he considers the most needed developments have been made, namely, the placing of the theory of personality squarely in the realm of human interaction. In the first part of Dr Guntrip's book all students of personality will find an arresting survey of the development of psychoanalytic thought; in the latter part they will meet highly stimulating and profound views on the origins and nature of the conflicting forces in human relationships. In particular he traces the progress of research beyond the problems of guilt and depression to the deeper and graver problems of the inadequate and schizoid personality; thus finding the causes of mental ill-health not in the secondary conflicts over sex and aggression, but in the primary problem of fear, and the struggle to cope with the frightened and helpless child in the depths of the unconscious.

Edition details

• Publisher: Intl Universities Pr Inc
• Publication date: 1964
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0823641201
• ISBN 13: 9780823641208
• Binding: Hardcover