Vicissitudes of Projective Identification / The Symbology of Popular Song

with Albert Mason, MS, BS, PsyD, FIPA

Vicissitudes of Projective Identification

Dr. Mason will explore the mechanism of projective identification to illustrate three primary features of psychoanalytic cure.  The first feature is the return to the patient of split-off and projected unconscious aspects of the self.  These disowned aspects produce pain, guilt, and conflict in the self.  They are thus evacuated into the outside world and into objects causing weakening of the ego as well as paranoia, phobias, and general persecutory anxiety.  Second, psychoanalysis also seeks to uncover unconscious irrational phantasies and infantile misconceptions and delusions that are the basis of much character pathology.  A third feature is the modification of the primitive superego, which is formed by the introjection of early distorted views of one's objects. 

Educational Objectives:
1. Recognize how consistent interpretations can foster an integration of the personality through returning to the patient the split-off and projected unconscious aspects of the self. 
2. Discuss the relationship between unconscious phantasy and dreams.
3. Discuss the use of interpreting unconscious phantasy to facilitate the modification of the primitive superego.

The Symbology of Popular Song

Hanna Segal has written extensively about the formation of symbols and has differentiated between normal symbols and what she has called symbolic equations. In this presentation, Dr. Mason will present music itself as a vast collection of symbols, discussing how both musical characteristics and lyrics are symbols that relate to objects and that produce feelings. Dr. Mason will describe some human characteristics - both normal and pathological - and illustrate these states of mind by playing segments of popular songs, which ge believes to be one representation of today's mythology. He will discuss depression, mania, narcissism, psychosomatic illness, fetishism, adolescent rebellion, greed, envy, jealousy, and drug addiction, as well as the Oedipus and Electra complexes. The audience is encouraged to share their own examples.

Educational Objectives:
1. Discuss Hanna Segal's forumlation about the difference between the normal symbol and what she has called the symbolic equation.
2. Discuss the concept of projective identification and how it alters one's view of the external world.
3. Describe the state of mind that Melanie Klein called the depressive position.

Dr. Albert Mason trained and practiced in London before coming to the United States and settling in Los Angeles.  A member of the British Psychoanalytical Society, he is a founding member of the Psychoanalytic Center of California and has served two terms as President of that organization.  He is a Training and Supervising Analyst at both the PCC and the New Center for Psychoanalysis.  He has been a member of the House of Delegates of the International Psychoanalytic Society and was also on the Board of the IPS.  Formerly Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the USC School of Medicine, Dr. Mason is the author of numerous books and journal articles and lectures nationally and internationally on psychoanalysis and Kleinian concepts.  He is in private practice in Beverly Hills.

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This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of the American Psychoanalytic Association and the Oregon Psychoanalytic Center. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 6 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION FOR ALL LEARNERS: None of the planners and presenters of this CME program have any relevant financial relationships to disclose.