Object Relations and Religion

1. Psyc 450 Psychology of Religion Object Relations and Religion James A. Van Slyke

2. Object Relations Theory • Object Relations works on Internal Relations • Inside to Outside • Behavior is secondary to internal psychic structure • locus for change • reason for behavior

3. What is this Internal Structure? • Internal Objects • Psychic structure • formed from the person’s experience • based on important care-taking person

4. What is this Internal Structure? • Internal Objects • Captured in the personality • Trace of the earlier relationship. • Not a memory, not a representation • Part of the self’s being • Structures the personality • The Primer of Object Relations - Scharff

5. Unconscious Structures • Parental relationship internalized unconsciously • Infants and children cannot ‘decide’ what to internalize • Child adopts or internalizes whatever environment he or she is born into • Abused children often refuse to leave • Humans often choose the familiar over the novel even if it is psychologically damaging

6. Emotion and Internal Object • Objects formed from emotion • Emotionally charged • Initial emotional experiences of infant • Initial Emotions structure other objects that become • Become part of a person’s experience

7. Emotion and Internal Object • The emotion • Provides a framework through which the world of relationships is seen • Highly enduring • Helps to determine mate selection • Emotion is cornerstone of internal objects

8. Transference • A Psychodynamic theory • Early important relationships are projected onto others • Usually parental relationships • Can be other close relationships

9. Transference • Occurs in many relationships • Husband/ Wife • Student / Teacher • Therapist/Client • inner conflicts within the client

10. Object Relations and Religion • Internal objects shape perception of God • Common part of religion • God as “Father” • Jesus as “Friend” • Start a “relationship” with God

11. Harry Guntrip • Religion • Way of experiencing life and each other • Integration and self-realization • Our way of relating to the universe • Relational definition of religion • Way of communion with God • Religion has a therapeutic goal

12. Harry Guntrip • Religion • Way of communion with God • Religion has a therapeutic goal • Limits on changing psychic structures • Science cannot penetrate the subjective nature of religion • Relationality at the heart of human existence

13. David Winnicott • Developmental Theory • Movement from Absolute, to Relative, to full Independence • Provided by a good “holding environment” • “Good enough” mother • Actively responds to the needs of the child

14. David Winnicott • Developmental Theory • Transitional Objects • Substitute object that provides security • Teddy Bear or blanket • Transitional Space • Space for experiencing relationships • Movement toward secure adult relationships

15. David Winnicott • Religion • Occurs in the transitional space • Cultural activities • Play • Creativity • Relational Religious experiences

16. David Winnicott • Religion • Provides a Holding Environment • Spiritual Direction • Prayer • Place where growth and play takes place • Emotional experiences

17. David Winnicott • Religion • God Image (Object) formed in transitional space • Acts as a transitional object • Based on interactions with parents, yet moves beyond this over time • Remains as a powerful part of the psyche