From
Lipot Szondi, Ich-Analyse [=
Ego
Analysis]
Translated by
Arthur C. Johnston
© 2008
By Arthur C. Johnston, PhD
Please Observe: The copyright of this article (in German or =
in
English) belongs to the Szondi Institute and to Dr. Arthur C. Johnston. Thi=
s means
you may not duplicate this article without their permissions.
=
DIVISION II
=
ELEMENTARY EGO ANALYSIS
=
The Four Elementary Functions of the Ego
Fate psychology has ex=
panded
outward the boundaries of ego concepts further beyond the recognized
circumstances of the Freudian double concept of “ego and superegoR=
21;
and beyond the Jungian terms “ego and self.”
The phenomena
“ego” is expanded to a =
total
concept and to a chief concept of autonomous “global” ego,
whereby the concepts “superego” and “self” are inte=
rpreted
as part concepts for particular part functions of these
“global egos.” Fate Analysis does not do this because it denies=
a
particular function of a superego and the self but because it maintains the
view that the function of the critical superego as a conscience and also as=
the
conscious and unconscious integrated activity of the self always represents o=
nly part functions of a whole ego, which Fate Analysis calls pontifex oppositorum [bridge between opposites].
Freud recognized this =
state
of affairs very well when he described motive, which moved him to coin the
concept of the superego; he expressly emphasized that the superego represen=
ts only a “stage” and only a
“differentiation within the ego.” It is about that indisput=
able
and that Freud therefore has not placed the superego under or above the concept of the ego.1 The censor
function of the superego and also the integration of the conscious and
unconscious through the self are both only partial functions of the autonom=
ous
global ego that as the center plays the role of the pontifex oppositorum.
After setting up the
opposites with one another and with the ego concept, we must consider first
“in isolation” the individual functions of the ego in order the=
n to
be able to understand correctly those segments of the complete function of =
this
court.
We distinguish the fol=
lowing
unconscious ego functions:
I. =
Elementary ego functio=
ns:
1. Projection.
2. Inflation.
3. Introjection.
4. Negation.
II. =
Dialectical ego functions, which serve the defense from the inner ego dangers.
Inner defense activity of the ego:
1. The between-factorial ego dialectic: the dialectic between ego expansion [
2. The double factorial ego dialectic:
a. The inner dialectic of=
ego
expansion.
b. The inner dialectic of=
ego
contraction.
3. Dialectic between foreground ego and background ego. The complementary ego
fate.
III. =
The ego-drive dialecti=
c. The outer defense activity of the ego. The defense mechanisms.
IV. =
The character-building
function of the egos.
V. =
The choice-forming fun=
ction
of the egos.
VI. =
The dream-forming func=
tion
of the egos.
VII. =
The belief function of=
the
egos.
We begin here with the
representation of the four elementary functions of the ego.
In theory, the ego sta=
nds --
as a stalwart ship captain -- on the command bridge of the soul, from where=
it
should bridge over all opposite pairs.
In reality, this is,
however, not so. Mostly the ego appears in the life of the individual as an
unreliable captain, who often abandons his high lookout position and actual=
ly
in fact has never undertaken it.
Though these position
changes, the ego takes different one-sided, unilateral
positions and lingers nearer this one and nearer another at the opposite po=
le
of the soul. With that, the ego is incapable to fulfill its task as pontifex oppositorum in all possib=
le
trend directions of opposites at a
distance, deliberately and reflectively.
In relationship to the opposite pair “conscious-unco= nscious” that means that the ego takes care to transfer its central “command p= osition” at one time near to the pole of consciousness and at another time nearer to= the pole of the unconscious. Under this aspect, depth psychology speaks of a “conscious” and an “unconscious” ego.<= o:p>
Correctly, this means:=
The
ego lingers one time in conscio=
usness
and another time in the unconsc=
ious.
If the ego -- as we as=
sume
it to be -- is in fact the manifold, multiple axes of the soul, on which is
attached a pole of consciousness and another pole of unconsciousness, then =
we
must affirm:
The being of the ego in
consciousness means: The conscious ego and not at all consciousness.
The being of the ego in
unconsciousness means: the unconscious ego is not however the unconscious
itself.
The ego as the pontifex oppositorum fulfills its
captain role in the central position of the soul; thus, it stands above
consciousness and at the same time also over the deep waters of the
unconscious. In this case -- and only in this one -- may the ego fulfill its
particular task: that is, to function as the bridge between being conscious=
and
being unconscious. If the ego, however, lingers more in the vicinity of the=
unconscious or sinks itself comple=
tely
into the unconscious, then one =
is
entitled rightly to speak of “a driven ego.”
From the standpoint of=
our
ego teachings, the expression “the driven ego” signifies only t=
his:
That the ego abandons its central position as the pontifex oppositorum and has given itself to the unconscious. T=
he
ego as likewise driven should therefore signify for us conclusively those
unconscious elementary functions through which the ego in unconsciousness
exercises four specific functions. These are: Projection, inflation, introjection, and negation. We derive these four ego tendencies from the original
participation.
1. Projection. p- is the earliest,=
most
primitive unconscious elementary striving of the ego, the power and might of
the unconscious to transfer one’s being to an object of the outer wor=
ld.
The unconscious end striving of each projection is being one and the same w=
ith
the object, thus the participation drive.
2. Inflation, p+ is the
unconscious elementary striving of the ego after doubling, after the origin=
al
being-double essence, after the “two sexual essence,” and after
uniting in oneself man and woman. The unconscious drive for each inflation =
is
the striving after completeness: that is, after being everything. The doubl=
ing
and perfection originate in the soul through making conscious the unconscio=
us
mental opposites.
3. Introjection. k+ is the unconscious original elementary striving of the ego aft=
er incorporation, after taking possession, after assimilation of the valued object and =
valued
representations of the outer and inner worlds. The unconscious end goal=
of
each introjection is the striving a=
fter
having everything.
4. Negation. k- is the
unconscious elementary striving of the ego after renunciation, negation, and repression of definite demands,
representations, and experiences. The unconscious end goal of each negation=
is
the disimagination of all ideal=
s of
being and having, thus destruction<=
/i>.
The unconscious tenden=
cies
after being one and the same with the object, after being everything, after
having everything, and after denying everything and destroying everything a=
re
the four unconscious elementary functions of the ego. These make man indebt=
ed
on the one hand so that he can be a social and human being; on the other ha=
nd,
however, that he may destroy himself and the objects of the world. Then: The
result of projection is the bod=
ily
and spiritual pairing and union between persons; thus, the couple, family,
group, clan, people and social formations on the whole. The result of inflation is the creative impulse =
after
perfection by means of religion, art, poetry, and research. As the social
result of introjection, we cons=
ider
all that which acts as material and intellectual possessions and thus funct=
ion
as “capital investment” in character, in profession, in knowled=
ge,
and in skills and as capital of material goods in the life of the individual
and society. The important social result of negation
has a double sense: at one time, the social
adaptation to reality and at another time, destruction. The degree of
negation distinguishes whether adaptation or destruction steps in.
At the earliest beginn=
ing,
the function of the ego consists exclusively of the function of participati=
on.
And only because being one with the mother, the world, and everything is
impossible over a period of time, the ego is compelled to live its power in
being in other being forms. Thus occur in our opinion secondarily projectio=
n,
inflation, introjection, and negation.2
End Notes
[1] Freud, S.: Ges. Schr. [Collected Writings], Bd.=
VI,
p. 372.
2 For details see the third part: Die
Partizipationstheorie der Wahnbildung [The Participation Theory of Choice
Formation].
18 &nb= sp; II. Elementary Ego Analysis
&nbs=
p; &=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; &=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; &=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; &=
nbsp; II.
Elementary Ego Analysis &n=
bsp; 17