science

Intersubjective psychoanalysis

Intersubjective psychoanalysis is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Intersubjective psychoanalysis rather than just read about it. In short: The term "intersubjectivity" was introduced to psychoanalysis by George E. Atwood and Robert Stolorow (1984), who consider it a "meta-theory" of psychoanalysis.

Key takeaways

Intersubjective psychoanalysis belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Intersubjective psychoanalysis to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Intersubjective psychoanalysis from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The term "intersubjectivity" was introduced to psychoanalysis by George E. Atwood and Robert Stolorow (1984), who consider it a "meta-theory" of psychoanalysis. Intersubjective psychoanalysis suggests that all interactions must be considered contextually; interactions between the patient/analyst or child/parent cannot be seen as separate from each other, but rather must be considered always as mutually influencing each other. This philosophical concept dates back to German Idealism and Phenomenology.

The myth of isolated mind Trends in intersubjective psychoanalysis have accused traditional or classical psychoanalysis of having described psychic phenomena as "the myth of isolated mind" (i.e. coming from within the patient). Psychoanalyst and philosopher Jon Mills, has criticized this accusation as a misinterpretation of Freudian theory. However, the intersubjective approach emphasizes that psychic phenomena are contextual and an interplay between the analyst and analysand.

Key figures Heinz Kohut is commonly considered the pioneer of the relational and intersubjective approaches. Following him, significant contributors include Robert Stolorow, Stephen A. Mitchell, Jessica Benjamin, Bernard Brandchaft, James Fosshage, Donna M.Orange, Arnold Modell, Thomas Ogden, Owen Renik, Harold Searles, Colwyn Trevarthen, Edgar A. Levenson, J. R. Greenberg, Edward R. Ritvo, Beatrice Beebe, Frank M. Lachmann, Herbert Rosenfeld and Daniel Stern.

References

Bibliography Atwood G. E., Stolorow R. D. (1984), Structures of Subjectivity: Explorations in Psychoanalytic Phenomenology Jessica Benjamin (1988), The Bonds of Love: Psychoanalysis, Feminism and the Problem of Domination Brandchaft, Doctors & Sorter (2010). Toward an Emancipatory Psychoanalysis. Routledge: New York. Buirski, P., Haglund, P. (2001). "Making Sense Together: the intersubjective approach to psychotherapy" Buirski, P. (2005). "Practicing Intersubjectively" Mills, J. (2012). Conundrums: A Critique of Contemporary Psychoanalysis. New York: Routledge. Orange, Atwood & Stolorow (1997). Working Intersubjectively. The Analytic Press: Hillsdale, NJ. Stolorow, Brandchaft & Atwood (1987). Psychoanalytic Treatment: An Intersubjective Approach. The Analytic Press: Storolow R. D., Atwood G. E. (1992), Context of Being: The Intersubjective Foundations of Psychological Life Storolow R. D., Atwood G. E., Brandchaft, B. (1994), The Intersubjective Perspective Hillsdale, NJ. Stolorow R. D., Atwood G. E. Orange D. M. (2002), "Worlds of Experience: Interweaving Philosophical and Clinical Dimensions in Psychoanalysis" Stolorow R. D., (2011), "World, Affectivity, Trauma: Heidegger and Post-Cartesian Psychoanalysis (Psychoanalytic Inquiry, Vol. 35)" Silvia Montefoschi (1977), "Interdipendenza e Intersoggettività in Psicoanalisi" ("Interdipendence and Intersubjectivity in Psychoanalysis")

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Intersubjective psychoanalysis

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Intersubjective psychoanalysis claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Intersubjective psychoanalysis before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Intersubjective psychoanalysis ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Intersubjective psychoanalysis

In research: Intersubjective psychoanalysis appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Intersubjective psychoanalysis in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Intersubjective psychoanalysis is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Psychoanalytic schools, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Intersubjective psychoanalysis outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Intersubjective psychoanalysis in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Intersubjective psychoanalysis means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Intersubjective psychoanalysis out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Intersubjective psychoanalysis in simple terms?

The term "intersubjectivity" was introduced to psychoanalysis by George E. Atwood and Robert Stolorow (1984), who consider it a "meta-theory" of psychoanalysis.

Why does Intersubjective psychoanalysis matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Intersubjective psychoanalysis?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Intersubjective psychoanalysis.