Article

The ego ideal

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Abstract

An outline is given of the varied uses and meanings attributed to the term "ego ideal" in the current literature. The concept is clarified and defined, with special attention to its historical origins. The locus of the ego ideal is placed in the superego, and its structure and function are integrated with those of the superego. Criteria for differentiating superego precursors from superego proper are given, and the importance of the distinction is stressed. The clinical usefulness of these issues is illustrated by clinical examples. In addition, "narcissism" as it pertains to the ego ideal is explored, and there is a discussion of the distinctions between shame and guilt.

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... Aus dieser Verbindung aber speist sich das nie völlig aufgegebene Streben nach Übereinstimmung von Ich und Ich-Ideal (Jacobson 1978). Der Begriff des Ich-Ideals wurde in der Literatur häufiger durch den des idealen Selbst ergänzt, und ersteres auf die moralischen und ethischen Wertmaßstäbe begrenzt (Sandler et al. 1963;Schafer 1967;Milrod 1990), während das ideale Selbst die erwünschten und angestrebten Selbstrepräsentanzen umfaßt. Hier soll der Begriff des Ich-Ideals in einem breiteren Sinne benutzt werden und beides umfassen, ebenso wie der Begriff des Ichs die realen Selbstrepräsentanzen einschließt. ...
... der Kranke soll nicht zur Ähnlichkeit mit uns, sondern zur Befreiung und Vollendung seines eigenen Weges erzogen werden' (Freud 1919). Die Bedeutung des Ich-Ideals im Übertragungsgeschehen wurde später beispielsweise von Schafer (1967), Hanley (1984 oder Milrod (1990) untersucht, narzißtische Formen der Übertragung dann insbesondere von Kohut (1973) und Kernberg (1977, vgl. auch Volkan u. ...
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In the second half of life narcissistic problems are spread and of far-reaching meaning. This problems here are inquired with reference to the ego-ideal. After characterizing the ego-ideal in short terms, the hypothesis of a growing discrepancy of ego and ego-ideal in the second half of life is developed. Several dimensions of this conflict are inquired with reference to clinical problems in the treatment of elderly patients. At last forms of narcissistic transference are described and possibilities and goals of treatment are discussed.
... The success of the struggle for identity depended in part on satisfactory transfer of this original narcissism into a self-sufficient ego and its ideal (Murray, 1964). The residues of infantile narcissism are therefore distilled into the ideal, which thus comes to possess every perfection that is of value (Milrod, 1990; Steingart, 1969). The ego-ideal thus becomes a repository for secondary narcissism and the inheritor of primary narcissism. ...
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On the theory of the superego
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An outline of psycho-analysis
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