The Selfobject Function of Weapons

A Self Psychology Examination

Bibliographic Data

ID20325972
AuthorsTheodore B Feldmann (University of Louisville), Phillip W Johnson (Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine.)
Year1992
Volume20
Issue4
Pages561-576
Publication date1992-12-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-3604 • E-ISSN: 1943-2860
PublisherGuilford Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1521/jaap.1.1992.20.4.561
PMID1291544
OpenAlexW8148840
LanguageEN
References cited7

Weapons serve a variety of functions, both for individuals and for society. One such function is that of a selfobject for narcissistically vulnerable persons. This selfobject function allows the damaged self to maintain cohesion and to offset feelings of vulnerability and powerlessness. Because the weapon allows the personality to feel in control and to exert dominance over others, it may come to be viewed in an idealized manner. This is very similar to the idealizing selfobject transference described by Kohut. Weapons are more likely to become selfobjects for those personalities suffering from some degree of self pathology. The selfobject function of weapons, however, may have significance beyond individual psychopathology. Groups of individuals, societies, and even nations may utilize weapons to counter feelings of vulnerability and to diminish fragmentation of the group's collective self. Their destructive potential may be unleashed in response to an intense narcissistic injury and narcissistic rage. The importance of weapons can thus be better understood by examining them within the context of self psychology

Dominance (genetics) · Feeling · Psychoanalysis · Rage (emotion) · Self · Self psychology · Psychology · Social Psychology · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies

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