What Is Projective Identification? | OTTO KERNBERG

Otto Kernberg, a pioneer in the field of severe personality disorders and Borderline in particular (and creator of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy), discusses Borderline Personality Disorder from the viewpoint of clinician / ridiculously experienced expert.

[shaggyalonso]

Yup, in layman's terms - it's when someone projects an aspect of their own personality onto the other, and does it with such conviction that they engineer in the other whichever traits they were projecting onto them in the first place.

A basic example would be feeling resentful towards another person, then calling them a 'bitter person' until the individual (who isn't inherently bitter at all) becomes bitter in the process of receiving this unfair treatment.

[jeanneeber]

Explained perfectly. He gets an A+ in my book. It’s unreal & traumatic to experience particularly if its your own family doing it consistently from childhood till you’re in your 50’s! It’s so exhausting & you’ve gotta get away from the perpetrators. They’ll have you believing & others agreeing you flew the planes into the WTC & have them believing it too. It’s a powerful weapon of all manipulators. Gaslighting is the other.

[bonatshilombo]

Example : Because I cheated on you, I can’t trust you and need to monitor your behavior.

[montserratpuebla]

Great explanation. My father always promoted envy and jealousy among his daughters and son...yes, it is very primitive but it works. It's pure devastation.

[paulinamerino]

Amazing conceptual precision. Astonishing clearity. Kernberg is a wonderful teacher and theorist.

[karn]

Thanks very much for this. I have come across the term many times but this is the clearest and the best description I've encountered. The induction and control elements are what really swung it for me. And the little smile at the end as if to say "good trick isn't it".

[jonathonray]

Firstly, projective-identification here is the defence of projective-identification as opposed to empathy or sympathy which is healthy projective-identification. The defence may be better named evacuative-identification with similar defences being adhesive-identification and extractive-introjection which all involve a major confusion in the relationship based on the defenders at least temporary state of narcissism/psychosis where in the defender is simply relating to themselves or wished-for versions of themselves, while exerting such conviction as to induct you into a relational dance beyond your contribution where you are at least at some point left confused or angry about the situation. Some kind of self-fulfilling prophecy takes place, wether simply due to the defenders selective inattention or actually because of the success of the role induction.

But as we all relate mentally, we can actually experience the forceful projection and denial of our separate self as a set of mental states and feelings being evoked in the conversation. It is the force and conviction and the intent (to control the intolerable within me by relating to it in you) that makes it the defence of projective-identification.

[stubby]

Zooming in that close is creeping me out.

[kreese]

Incredible clarity and depth. Thank you

[rhysweaver]

So many pieces to this pie but absolutely spot on.

[rdAlchemist]

I notice that I do this but what I project in some way is dislike towards myself, I’m so awkward with people when I didn’t used to be and this happens with almost everyone in around. I know it’s me because there’s no way everyone I meet is a jerk, I just want to connect with people genuinely like I used to without thinking everyone dislikes me and making it a self fulfilling prophecy.

[themistoklesv]

I always hear this description of projectile identification but I really think this phenomenon should not be listed as a defense mechanism. It surely is a phenomenon observed but it demands a suitable object ( other person) to act the identity projected. Defense mechanisms are mechanisms of the subject ( the "patiend") and are protecting the ego from the it. So I prefer the Kleinian description of Projectile Identification were the "patiend" projects an identity to the object and then they identify with it. I think these are 2 different phenomena and another name should be used for what here Kernberg describes.

[Star-djkw]

I dont understand how empathy fits in?

[jiminy_cricket]

Keep in mind that this is the two-body psychology conception of projective identification, a la Wilfred Bion.

When the Kleinians speak of projective identification, this is usually as part of a one-body psychology, and they tend to use the term much more broadly than does Kernberg.

[MrBluess]

Does the person projecting have to be in a position of power over the person identifying with projection?

[happylindsay]

Is it always the disowned negative parts of the Self? What about projecting your positive attributes into another and unable to see them in oneself-?
What defines projection as a defense mechanism and not a essential part of meaning and sense making apparatus which we all employ to some degree? I suppose it is a question of how frequently this is employed in an individual that precludes them from truly accepting an intergrated assesment of themselves and the other ( ?) . So is it pathology when in combination of a cognitive distortion like “ splitting”?

[SD-rmty]

Please explain how it is projective identification when there is no assumption and another person initially is rude and disrespectful? Stop trying to gaslight me.

[in-serenesanity]

Interesting... Almost in the same breath, he calls Projective Identification one of the "primitive defensive operations", "a primitive form of projection" and... "a complex mechanism that has projection, empathy with what is projected, induction and effort at control".

[genuineletter]

I always want to emphasise that there is IDENTIFICATION in this concept of projective identification. If you do not know what your tendencies are, you are likely to identify with something that is projected onto you, especially if youre in a relationship with this person, but not only. so: do not identify and if you do, go to therapy to check that out.