What is the difference between projection and projective identification?

PROJECTIVE IDENTIFICATION. The main difference between projection and projective identification is that the former belongs to intrapsychic dynamics, while the latter describes a very primitive form of relating. When projective identification is at work, the projector feels at one with the other person.

What is projective identification in psychology?

1. in psychoanalysis, a defense mechanism in which the individual projects qualities that are unacceptable to the self onto another individual and that person internalizes the projected qualities and believes himself or herself to be characterized by them appropriately and justifiably.

What does projective identification feel like?

Phantasies of projective identification are sometimes felt to have ‘acquisitive’ as well as ‘attributive’ properties, meaning that the phantasy involves not only getting rid of aspects of one’s own psyche but also of entering the mind of the other in order to acquire desired aspects of his psyche.

What are examples of projective identification?

For instance, if John does not feel good about his own body image, he may see Mark and and think to himself, “Hmmm, it looks like Mark has put on a lot of weight.” Now, if Mark has in fact put on a lot of weight, John would simply be observing reality accurately.

What causes projective identification?

Objects projected The good/ideal parts of the personality may be projected, leading to dependence upon the object of identification; equally it may be jealousy or envy that are projected, perhaps by the therapist into the client.

Is projection the same as transference?

Projection and transference are very similar. They both involve you attributing emotions or feelings to a person who doesn’t actually have them. The difference between the two is where the misattributions occur. Projection occurs when you attribute a behavior or feeling you have about a person onto them.

When projection takes place, it is a personal process, working in the mind of one person, such that, the person on whom the behavior is being projected on, has no idea that it is happening. Projective identification plays on this projection and adds more levels to it.

What is projective identification in psychoanalysis?

Psychoanalysis has several concepts to describe this dilemma. One is called “ projective identification .” Projective Identification was first described by psychoanalyst, Melanie Klein. Here is how it works: Person A has a feeling they’d rather avoid, and so they project it, unconsciously, onto Person B.

What is an example of projection in psychology?

This would be an example of projection. Projective identification comes in as a two-way process that involves both people. It comes into action when, after having projected his insecurities onto Mike, Sam says “Looks like you’ve put on weight”.

Who first used the term ‘projective identification’?

Psychoanalyst Melanie Klein first used the term ‘projective identification’ in her work ‘Notes on Some Schizoid Mechanisms’ in 1946.