fei75766_ch05_149-178.indd 157  02/06/20 11:22 AM
Chapter 5    Klein: Object Relations Theory157
mature tothepoint atwhich itcantolerate some ofitsowndestructive feelings rather 
thanprojecting them outward. However, theinfant alsorealizes thatthemother might 
goaway andbelostforever. Fearing thepossible lossofthemother, theinfant desires 
toprotect herandkeepherfrom thedangers ofitsowndestructive forces, those can-
nibalistic impulses thathadpreviously been projected ontoher.Buttheinfant’s ego
ismature enough torealize thatitlacks thecapacity toprotect themother, andthus
theinfant experiences guiltforitsprevious destructive urges toward themother. The
feelings ofanxiety overlosing aloved object coupled withasense ofguiltforwanting 
todestroy thatobject constitute what Klein called thedepressive position.
Children inthedepressive position recognize thattheloved object andthe
hated object arenowoneandthesame. They reproach themselves fortheirprevious 
destructive urges toward theirmother anddesire tomake reparation forthese attacks. 
Because children seetheirmother aswhole andalsoasbeing endangered, theyare
abletofeelempathy forher,aquality thatwillbebeneficial intheirfuture interper -
sonal relations.
Thedepressive position isresolved when children fantasize thattheyhave
made reparation fortheirprevious transgressions andwhen theyrecognize thattheir
mother willnotgoaway permanently butwillreturn aftereachdeparture. When the
depressive position isresolved, children close thesplitbetween thegood andthe
badmother. They areablenotonlytoexperience lovefromtheirmother butalsoto
display theirownloveforher.However, anincomplete resolution ofthedepressive 
position canresult inlackoftrust, morbid mourning atthelossofaloved one,anda
variety ofother psychic disorders.
Psychic Defense Mechanisms
Klein (1955) suggested that,from veryearly infancy, children adopt several psychic 
defense mechanisms toprotect theiregoagainst theanxiety aroused bytheirown
destructive fantasies. These intense destructive feelings originate withoral-sadistic 
anxieties concerning thebreast—the dreaded, destructive breast ontheonehand and
thesatisfying, helpful breast ontheother. Tocontrol these anxieties, infants usesev-
eralpsychic defense mechanisms, suchasintrojection, projection, splitting, andprojec -
tive identification.
Introjection
Byintrojection, Klein simply meant thatinfants fantasize taking intotheirbody those 
perceptions andexperiences thattheyhavehadwiththeexternal object, originally 
themother’s breast. Introjection begins withaninfant’s firstfeeding, when there is
anattempt toincorporate themother’s breast intotheinfant’s body. Ordinarily, the
infant triestointroject good objects, totakethem inside itself asaprotection against 
anxiety. However, sometimes theinfant introjects badobjects, suchasthebadbreast 
orthebadpenis, inorder togaincontrol overthem. When dangerous objects are
introjected, theybecome internal persecutors, capable ofterrifying theinfant and
leaving frightening residues thatmaybeexpressed indreams orinaninterest infairy
talessuchas“The BigBadWolf” or“Snow White andtheSeven Dwarfs.”Final PDF to printer