Phallic personality type

Bunk? Useful? Outdated? Any empirical proof either way? : psychoanalysis

Generalizations that make broad strokes aren't helpful.

But of the many psychoanalytic concepts that come up in reading classical papers, nothing recurs as often as references of oral (aggressive, passive), anal (retentive, expulsive), and phallic:

• Dynamics (Eric Berne in book Games People Play, Transactional analysis)

• Attitudes (Fairbairn, 1941)

• Techniques (Fairbairn, 1941)

• Character

• Personality

• Phases

• Fixations

What did these concepts evolve into in modern psychology? Are these classical psychoanalytic concepts still relevant or valuable? Are the clusters of personality traits, or developmental phases backed by any empirical evidence?

Oral personality / character (APA):

in classical psychoanalytic theory, a pattern of personality traits derived from fixation at the oral stage of psychosexual development. If the individual has experienced sufficient sucking satisfaction and adequate attention from the mother during the oral-sucking phase, he or she is posited to develop an oral-receptive personality marked by friendliness, optimism, generosity, and tolerance of dependency on others, allowing the individual to move on to late stages of psychosexual development. If the individual does not get enough satisfaction during the sucking and biting phases (see oral-biting phase), he or she is posited to develop an oral-aggressive personality marked by tendencies to be hostile, critical, envious, and exploitative. Also called oral character. [identified by German psychoanalyst Karl Abraham (1877–1925)]

Anal personality / character (APA):

in classical psychoanalytic theory, a pattern of personality traits believed to stem from the anal stage of psychosexual development, when defecation is a primary source of pleasure. Special satisfaction from retention of the feces will result in an adult anal-retentive personality, marked by frugality, obstinacy, and orderliness, whereas fixation on expelling feces will produce an aggressive and disorderly anal-expulsive personality. Also called anal character. See also anal-aggressive personality; hoarding orientation.

Phallic personality / character (APA):

in classical psychoanalytic theory, a pattern of narcissistic behavior exemplified by boastfulness, excessive self-assurance, vanity, compulsive sexual behavior, and in some cases competitive, aggressive, or exhibitionistic behavior. Also called phallic character; phallic-narcissistic character (or personality).

Examples

Wilhelm Reich (wikipedia):

If you want to see what generalizations can do, Wilhelm Reich's and Alexander Lowen's "character armor" (which was mentioned in Becker's Denial of Death). His "trends" of abstraction, orality, dominance, rigidity, genitality and character "scripts" of redemption, power and masochism. The Phallic character:

The men appear manly and the women appear feminine. This view, that human sexual dimorphism, where it exists, is natural, good, and a characteristic of maturation, is, of course, inconsistent with the political correctness of the present day. The male achiever or rigid character, is named the 'phallic' character, because he is thought to exhibit 'male' aggression, perhaps a substitute for full sexual release and satisfaction. The female rigid character is known as a 'hysteric', because strong sexual feeling builds but can only find expression in outbursts or conversion symptoms. Below is a description of the male character.

Reich links personality to developmental phases:

[Origins of the Achiever Character] (Developmental Period - 4-6 Years) This character is believed to have had 'good enough' nurture up to 4 years of age or the start of the oedipal period. At that point, love feelings for the mother were rejected, and or the father interfered with this relationships. This 'heart-break' resulted in a stiffening against disappointment. source

[Origins of the Hysterical character] (Developmental Period - 4-6 Years) Like the male counterpart, this character is believed to have had 'good enough' nurture up to 4 years of age or the start of the oedipal period. At that point, love feelings for the father were rejected, and or the mother interfered with this relationships. This 'heart-break' resulted in a stiffening against disappointment. source

Reich goes so far as to give various characters body types.

Karl Abraham (wikipedia):

According to the psycho-analytic view, the fixation points that have been formed in the course of the development of the libido will determine to what level of organization the libido of the individual will advance, and to what level it will retreat in the event of a neurotic illness. And the same is true of the relation of the individual to the outer world: inhibitions in development and regressive processes are always found to be determined by earlier fixations in the sphere of the libido. Now in spite of their common relation to the anal-sadistic organization of the libido, melancholia and obsessional neurosis exhibit certain fundamental differences not only in respect of the phase to which the libido regresses at the onset of the illness, but also in respect of the attitude of the individual to his object, since the melancholiac gives it up, while the obsessional patient retains it. If, therefore, it appears that such widely divergent pathological processes can take their inception from the sadistic-anal stage, it follows that this stage contains heterogeneous elements which we have not been able to separate out hitherto. In other words, our knowledge of this stage of libidinal development must be insufficient. And moreover, other considerations give us good reason for believing that this is in fact the case.

... Psycho-analysis has taught us that the unconscious of the adult person contains many traces of the earlier stages of his psychosexual life. In the healthy person we come across such traces chiefly in his dreams. In the same way the stage of partial love leaves traces behind in the unconscious.

Abraham, K. (1924) A short study of the development of the libido. Selected Papers on Psycho-Analysis. London: Hogarth Press, 1927 PDF 1, 2

Later theorists moving away

Fairbairn - Abraham is mentioned throughout Fairbairn's paper as his libido theory is what he takes on "Libido is object seeking". Fairbairn spends copious amounts of time in 1941's A revised psychopathology of the psychoses and psychoneuroses tying personality to the oral phases, calling the rest attitudes / techniques that are merely artefacts overlaying what's ultimately an oral (< 1 year old, breast feeding).

Klein - Klein also ties most of phantasy / internal world to the oral phases, and while phantasy and early life introjecions are an underpinning, there's a heavy focus on objects

Attachment theory - Bowlby, Ainsworth, Fonagy?

Self psychology - Kohut

Mahler - Separation individuation

Piaget - Cognitive-style development (wikipedia)

Neo-Freudians like Adler, Horney, Fromm, Sullivan, Jung, etc

Humanist and person-centered like Young, Maslow, Rollo May

In the above theories, the attunement of the mother is still crucial, but to various degrees the broad character traits and ties to erotogenic zones are either mostly or completely gone.

Are there any books on these clusters of personality traits? Papers? Comparisons? Any more information on classical psychoanalysis outside of Reich and Abraham?

Were these concepts disproven wholly? Disproven or provide in parts? What did they evolve into?

Phallic character in psychoanalysis

05/09/2020

Starting from his observations of the behavior of children, Freud put forward the assumption that initially children of both sexes have an idea that all people have male genitalia. Therefore, girls may be perceived as children, for some reason deprived of a phallus, and boys may experience fear that they can be " punished " in the same way. As a result, ideas appeared about the “ castration complex " in boys and " penis envy " in girls.

In principle, any type of character could be interpreted as a narcissistic type of defense against real, imaginary or fantasy dangers. However, this is most characteristic of the phallic character. People with a phallic character usually exhibit a peculiar nonchalance and insolence, a decisive and self-confident demeanor, a certain narcissism and a tendency to compete. But this behavior is largely determined by an unconscious defensive reaction to the fear of castration not overcome in childhood. Sometimes, having discovered in a child increased attention to his own genitals, " caring "adults intimidate children with threats" cut off "(other options:" will disappear "," those who do this do not have children "etc.), although this interest and subsequent masturbation is an absolutely normal stage in the development of mature sexuality.

An overestimation of the significance of the penis is typical of the early phallic stage, and when a point of pathological fixation occurs, this subsequently manifests itself in increased vanity, mental exhibitionism and excessive sensitivity. A person with such a character lives in anticipation of attacks on himself and therefore prefers to attack first. His aggressiveness and provocative behavior is expressed rather than in words or even in deeds, but in the manner of speaking and acting. And the rejection of a dependent position and the desire for dominance are all based on the same fear (“castration” in its metaphorical sense), which is opposed by ostentatious hypermasculinity (firmness, determination, cruelty). However, in general, phallic men carry a certain "feminine" identity, and their behavioral patterns reflect the desire to hide this rather than deny it. Usually such people easily impress others, are sexually attractive and quite successful in life and in their careers. They are socially active, energetic, impulsive, usually achieve what they want. However, their desire for success always reveals a fear of failing. With a pronounced phallic-narcissistic development in interpersonal and sexual relations, they behave as if they have great energy and potency, like to "share" their successes and victories with others, demonstrating a certain exhibitionism. However, their ability to enjoy life, socializing, work, or sex is almost always reduced. Figuratively speaking, the energy of the libido is abundantly squandered outward, and satisfaction from discharge does not come, which leads to an endless pursuit of satisfaction. nine0003

The behavior of women with a phallic personality organization is motivated by a fixation on "envy" of the penis, which determines their unconscious desire for dominance both in sexual and interpersonal relationships.

Only adequate overcoming of the phallic phase of development, one of the essential factors of which is a complete family (possessing sufficient psychological culture), makes it possible to overcome the ambivalence of the interpersonal and sexual attitudes of the child and sets the stage for a mature love relationship. The ability to normal discharge of mental and (or) sexual excitation prevents the formation of reactive formations and increases the possibilities for sublimation. In this case, instead of an endless fear of deprivation and a ban on emotional life, the ego acquires the ability to naturally express drives and enjoy life.

Keywords: Character, Psychoanalysis

Source: Psychoanalysis: a textbook for undergraduate and graduate studies / M. M. Reshetnikov, P86 S. V. Avakumov, Yu. A. Baranov [and others]: ed. M. M. Reshetnikova. - M .: Yurayt Publishing House, 2016. - 317 p. - Series: Bachelor and Master. Academic course. nine0003

Phallic type. Path to freedom. Looking Inward

Phallic type

It is also called "over-concentrated" (Fig. 9). The word "phallic" comes from the Greek word "phallus", which means the male sexual organ. This type of character is laid down at the same time as the classic hard one, but the main role in its formation is played by the father, who rejects and is removed from the child, does not accept him as he is. He is very demanding of his child, because the child is not good enough for him in any area of ​​life. He is always disappointed in him and always wants something more from him. If we talk about love for a child, then it is conditional for the father - in other words, he loves him only when he meets his requirements. nine0003

Since a lot of responsibility is placed on a child from early childhood, he begins to struggle early for the status of an adult and grows up quickly. From childhood, he is pushed to be a "little man" or "little lady/woman" before they mature naturally. In fact, they are not allowed to be children. Such a child grows up in an atmosphere where he cannot enjoy life and every time he feels that he will be betrayed if he expresses love openly.

In life, he always makes efforts to be perfect, he wants to achieve a lot in it, so that he will be admired later. As you can see, the stereotype of behavior laid down in childhood does not go anywhere. By his actions and deeds, he is constantly trying to win the approval and love of his father, even if he has already died. nine0003

Heading towards the goal, he is full of firm determination to implement his plans, loves to act, is productive and can be a workaholic. He is very logical, serious, rational, preoccupied with small details and focused on reality. It follows logically that he has problems with relaxation.

He views his passive behavior as a vulnerability. He has a fear of behaving spontaneously. And he sees life as a problem that must be solved. nine0003

He forms his defense systems from the idea that he is not allowed to openly express tender and strong feelings. Therefore, his body is tense to keep the senses under control.

Body

His body is proportionate, united, short at the back and looks as if he is constantly slightly inclined. It is always ready to move and has cheerfulness and liveliness. Movements are coordinated, energetic, decisive, fast. The tension that is present in it gives the impression that it is tight, as if clad in armor or chain mail. A lot of tension is present in the extensor muscles, from which they can regularly become inflamed. The movements are stingy, and in difficult and dangerous cases they lose their grace. nine0003

Head held high: there is tension in the forehead; the jaw is protruding, strong - it is not for nothing that his favorite animal is a bulldog; face is beautiful. His eyes are bright, and when a problem arises, they become prudent. The neck is stiff and gives the impression that it is ossified.

His shoulders can be broad and look reliable, responsible and solid. They are stretched back and up. These are the shoulders of the "dashing warrior". Hands are flexible, supple and well shaped. The chest is also well shaped, but tight. The abdomen is usually flat and well tuned, so to speak. The pelvis is narrow and tense, it can be pulled back and up; the buttocks are well shaped. The legs are strong and well proportioned, but sometimes crooked. The back of the legs are compressed. nine0003

In the spine of a person with a phallic character structure, there is a large deflection in the lumbar region. The shoulder blades are pinched, compressed. The extensors of the back are also contracted.

Fig. 9. Phallic type of character

Relationships

In relationships, as already noted in the tough character, he fills the people nearby with energy. To win the closeness of other people, he maneuvers. However, despite the fact that he craves tenderness and deep feelings, he has great difficulty in allowing them to love him - this weighs on him. He strives for unemotional equality in relationships because he is afraid that his heart will be wounded. nine0003

He is afraid of losing control of the situation. There are many feelings associated with the frustration of plans and the collapse of hopes, so he hardly lets go of the situation and moves away. Since there is a lot of tension in him, he constantly feels that he needs to relax, which he does in any way possible for him.

Now, I hope you will understand where the shocking general public details about the lives of celebrities and those in power come from, and stop judging them. They relax as best they can. If you want to achieve success in life, try to focus not on what those in power and money are doing, resting and relaxing, but on the actions that they take, climbing up the social ladder, and on understanding their inner energy. nine0003

In order to soften their feelings, to relax, people with a phallic character structure must learn to surrender, capitulate.

Basic Beliefs

1. In order for everything to be good, I have to work (hard).

2. There is always something to be done.

3. I always have to be on my guard, otherwise I will be harmed or used for their own purposes.

4. I cannot relax and let go of the situation.

5. I have to play.

6. I can be free/free if I don't want to.

Higher Self

These people are very good at getting their way. For them, there is no problem to bring the work they have started to the end, and they easily achieve the goal. They do a good job, they work fast, and their actions are always successful. They are highly responsible, and they are confident in themselves.

New thoughts

1. As I work and move towards success, I simultaneously listen to the voice of the doer. I wisely distribute my time between work, leisure, family, friends, sports and entertainment. nine0003

2. You can't do everything, I'm also learning to relax.

3. I am learning to listen to my inner voice of intuition. I trust him and relax. You can't see everything, you can't foresee everything. I trust life, people and myself. I am relaxing.

4. I try again and again. I watch with interest how the situation develops without my intervention. I let things happen.

5. I am learning to relax and let my feelings flow. I am learning to open up to the world. I am learning to communicate with people through my feelings. Men and women are my helpers, not enemies. nine0003

6. I acknowledge the right to have any desire. I acknowledge my desires. I am learning not to be attached to my desires. It is I who choose which desire to satisfy and which not.

Hysterical / clinging type of character

This type of character (Fig. 10) is also formed before the age of seven, when the child is already aware of gender differences in people. Most often, this type of character is found among women. As in the previous case, the father plays a huge role in shaping the character. The father loved in the early years, but freezes his feelings when the child reaches puberty, fearing and not accepting his sexual reaction to him. He pushes it away and can react to it only when the child is upset. Then he empathizes and helps him overcome a difficult situation. nine0003

Many women of this body type have reported that when they entered puberty, their father's behavior towards them changed dramatically. He pulled away from them, behaved harshly and forced them to work hard, citing the fact that they were already adults. They took it as the fact that he stopped loving them. In response to such a situation, the child blocks his sexual energy, which manifests itself in the form of an increase in body weight in the pelvis and hips.

If we talk in general about family relations, then the child is treated as a person who does not have rights. They do not pay attention to him, do not listen to him and do not take his feelings seriously. In order to pay attention to him and hear what he says, the child must raise his voice and even scream. As adults, these people keep this habit in conversation with other people, because they always feel like they are not being listened to or not being heard.

Growing up, a person remains attached to the state of the child and continue to have parental care. He gets upset easily and overreacts to whatever happens to him. He is nervous, theatrical and dramatic, and exaggerates his emotions when faced with problems. He is in tears at any moment. Increased suggestibility is also one of the main character traits. nine0003

He is not interested in details and intellectual understanding of a problem or situation. He tends to be scattered, that is, he has difficulty concentrating on what interests him. He is inconsistent, inconsistent and prone to unexpected, unforeseen behavior or change of emotions. Since he is very affectionate, he is easily overcome by feelings of disappointment.

When communicating with people, he is afraid to stand up for his rights, he is afraid to express his demands directly, because he feels unable to communicate and compete on an equal basis. He longs for intimacy and refuses to accept change. But strives for diversity and can be illegible. nine0003

The feelings he experiences are feelings of deceit, defeat, and the feeling of being ignored. He longs to be loved and taken care of, but at the same time he is afraid of deep emotional involvement. He also has a deep sense of being hurt (pain), a deep sense of betrayal.

His defenses are aimed at being close to people all the time. He can use sex as a defense against difficult and difficult situations.

Continuing the theme of sexuality, it should be noted that it is common for a person with a hysterical type of character to have love in one place, and sexual relations in another. The trauma he received as a child predisposes him to the fact that he cannot have both in one place. nine0003

In close relationships, approaching someone, he can be reckless and commit desperate acts.

Body

The body of such a person looks seductive. This is both a child and a woman at the same time, who calls, lures and seduces at the same time. This is a child's body on the lower part that has taken shape in a feminine way. It has a split between the upper and lower halves: the upper part is hard and restraining, while the lower part is soft and yielding. In the upper part of the body there is a powerful block - protection, which makes the heart impenetrable. The movements are rolling, soft, seductive. nine0003

Such a person holds his head straight and proud. The jaw is firm and determined. The face may be motionless and inanimate. Eyes - frightened and wide open (both literally and figuratively). Images that can flicker before the inner eye are fairy-tale queens, princesses and princesses. Screaming cranes, fireflies, birds with bright plumage and bright flowers are what attracts his attention. His voice is expressive, can be shrill and shrill; speech is usually fast. nine0003

Fig. 10. Hysterical type of character

His neck is dense, flexible and ossified, gives the impression of being strong. The shoulders are thick, narrow and bony, and may slope downward like a plowshare. His hands are weak and thin, he cannot use them. The chest is compact, compressed and narrow, and the breasts are in most cases small. The abdomen is soft and rounded.

Basin - wide, large, spacious. Often sluggish and powerless. Legs are rigid, hard and heavy. The back is inflexible, the spine is rigid and rigid. nine0003

A person with a hysterical type of character has a lot of energy, but it is uneven, explosive. This means that he can quickly and suddenly move from a state of complete inactivity to a state of activity.

Relationships

Such a person communicates mainly by seducing others - especially when it comes to relationships with the opposite sex. Relationships can also be patronizing and caring, like a mother's, or like a child's. He is constantly looking for evidence that he is being cared for, and cannot stand being removed from himself. On the other hand, he may try to sabotage relationships, especially close ones, by making unreasonable demands on his partner. nine0003

Due to his nature, he cannot objectively assess what is happening. He can also idealize the other person, but as noted above, this is almost always followed by disappointment. He strives for love, but is afraid to show his feelings. Other people in a relationship with such a person may feel trapped, repressed and manipulated.

Working with oneself

As in all previous cases, a person with a hysterical character structure should carefully examine the tensions that exist in his body. His main task is to detect the block, that is, the tension that separates his upper and lower halves of the body and allow energy - parts of it - to flow from the lower half to the upper. nine0003

Psychodynamically, he should pay most attention to the trauma that blocked his heart, that is, his relationship with his father during his youth. At the same time, it is very useful to reflect on the question: “What will happen if I have both love and sex in the same place, with the same person?”

Basic beliefs

1. Nobody understands me and doesn't listen to me, to my opinion.

2. He/she/they do not accept my feelings. nine0003

3. I won't give in to my feelings of love, then you won't be able to hurt me.

4. I can't get the attention I need.

Higher Self

These are very receptive people, flexible and sensitive. They can be very loving and form good, close relationships. They are full of enthusiasm, spontaneous, and if they connect their lives with art, then they make good actors and actresses. They have a lot of persistence. They can spend years, decades to achieve the goal and achieve what they want. nine0003

New thoughts

1. If that were the case, they would stop communicating with me altogether. When I communicate with people, I learn and express my thoughts so that they understand me. If I doubt that I am understood and heard, I ask about it. If so, then I again calmly and clearly state what I wanted / wanted to say.

2. This cannot be in principle, because people accept at least some feelings anyway. I share what I can at the moment, and they take what they can and want. The most important thing is that my feelings and emotions flow. I open up. nine0003

3. If they hit me, they always hurt me. I don't attach to pain, I let it go. I am grateful / thankful that I have love in my life.

First of all, I need this, and I allow her to be. I do not cling to the person I love, I give him freedom. If he stays with me, good; if not, it’s also good, because I had and still have my love.

4. At any moment in time and in any place I had, have and will have enough attention. I release my fears.

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