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| Founder | Prescott Lecky |
|---|---|
| Fields | psychology |
Self-constancy, also called self object constancy and self consistency, is a psychological concept of the developmental cognitive ability. Self constancy theory was proposed by Prescott Lecky in the 1920s. [1] Self-constancy focuses on the regulation of thoughts and ideas which can be generally developed from childhood. [2]Constancy of ideas and representation of the self are both essential for a normal person. Self-constancy organizes individual's ideas and behavior and maintains consistency of them. Self constancy is related to interpersonal relationship, and sometimes can result in Borderline Personality Disorder. [3]
Splitting of ego[edit][edit]
Self-constancy is an ability to hold the image of the other and yourself as both positive and negative at the same time. In other words, self-constancy is the capacity to accept the advantages and disadvantages of the other and yourself. Maintaining self constancy is an achievement of maturity.[4]
The lack of this ability can cause the splitting of the ego into all positive and all negative. In other words, splitting of the ego makes it impossible to hold the other and yourself both positive and negative at the same time. Therefore, splitting of ego results in the other or yourself being all positive at one moment, and suddenly all fall down at another moment related to a disappointment. [5][6]
This results in extreme attitude to self or others which can cause some psychological diseases such as self-disorder. [7]In relationships it manifests in yourself or the other being wonderful one moment then terrible the next moment without the ability to recognize the opposite feeling held. Splitting will weaken the ability to hold the tension of the opposites. Conversely holding the tension of the opposites at the same time is the ability to have self constancy.[8]
Lack of this developmental capability results in maintaining relationships exceedingly difficult. For example, it can sabotage the relationship of partners; when the ego splits, a lover can be an enemy.[4]
Object permanence and self constancy[edit]
This part will focus on the distinctions between object permanence and self constancy. emotion Object permanence is the origin of self constancy.
To illustrate object permanence, the work of George, who is an Irish philosopher, is a good explanation. This poetic question is introduced as a thought experiment to the world: "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" A person with object permanence problems will answer: "No."[9]
Object permanence is, as defined by cognitive-development theorist Jean , the purely cognitive achievement of believing that the tree falling in the forest will make a sound, even if there's no one to witness the event. [4]
Self constancy is a psycho dynamic concept, and it can be thought as an emotional equivalence of object permanence.[9]
In childhood and adulthood[edit]
Self-constancy is an aspect of or stage in a child's cognitive and libidinous development. It is based on object relations theory, which is a branch of psychoanalysis that focuses on family relationships, and there is a link between childhood and adulthood. children First coined by Heinz in 1952, many psychologists agree that self constancy can be seen as a stage of development that refers to the libidinal and cognitive aspects of a young child's attachment to its mother.[10]
According to Piaget's theory, self object constancy is one part of the sensorimotor stage of a child's development. This stage, which is the first of four, starts at birth and ends around the age of two. During this period, a child's view of the world is completely diffuse. It sees the world and other people as an extension of itself, and its main cognitive development is to come to the understanding that objects can and do exist outside of itself. Psychoanalyst and clinical researcher Margaret Mahler defines self constancy as a child's, and later, a person's.[11]
If a child's primary caregiver remains strong, when becomes an adult, he or she will not have self object constancy issues.[12] This means that the adults will know and understand that circumstances, such as separation and conflict, will most likely not cause a significant other to abandon or reject them. They will also be likely to maintain a monogamous relationship, and mutually-satisfying bonds will benefit not only partners but also others such as friends, colleagues, extended family.[11][13]
On the other side of the spectrum, childhood disruption of the sense that relationships are reliable, stable and consistent, will most likely make for an overwhelming and frightening experience of the world in adulthood. [1]In adulthood, self constancy allows adults to trust people who are close to them, even when there is a long physical distance between them. [3]
Borderline personality disorder (BPD)[edit]
Weak or disrupted self constancy can be linked to borderline personality disorder (BPD), and may be one possible reason of BPD.
Because of the traumas that comes from BPD, the affected person may have some conflicting thoughts. “Love me" or "leave me” can be a frequent question for them. So someone with BPDmight struggle to remain self-constancy when a minor emotional struggle may be seen as a major conflict or imminent danger as far as loss. To treat BPD, the first step is to define the personality and basic situation of patients. Then suffers are needed to maintain the integrity of self-constancy and cope with emotional triggers.[14]
BPD affects one to four percent of adults and is commonly diagnosed in women. There is a genetic link, as the disorder is five times more common among first-degree relatives.It is one of the most severe types of personality disorders, and also the most common, but it is diagnosed more often in psychiatric fields. [15]BPD is considered one of the disorders that has serious impacts on individuals, social and economic, and results a public-health burden.[16] Unstable emotion As a heterogeneous type of disorder, BPD can cause several different symptoms as follows:
- emotional liability
- Impulsive behavior
- Relationship impairment.[17]
Emotional liability[edit][edit]
People suffering from BPD are over-dramatic in their emotional expression, and this is often triggered or related to the awareness of attitudes by other people such as rejection and acceptance. [18]It is always in reaction to interpersonal stress, so that the other people will not perceive why the sufferers' emotions are volatile. The BPD sufferer is also likely to have a chronic sense of dissatisfaction with life as if nothing is really good enough.[9][1]
Impulsive behavior[edit][edit]
Some possible behaviors of borderline personality disorder are sexual promiscuity, gambling, impulsive consumption, substance abuse and chaotic eating patterns such as overeating.[14] A person with BPD may also have depression, anxiety disorders and impulse control disorders. [19]At the same time, substance abuse which is a category of impulsive behavior may even be a factor to these psychological disorders. [1]It is estimated that about 20-50 proportion of individuals suffering from BPD also have issues with substance abuse.[20] More seriously, some suffers have self-injurious behavior which brings a sense of relief and emotional balance. But this behavior can not actually help BPD, and unfortunately reinforces the sense of helplessness and dependency.[1]
Relationship impairment[edit][edit]
In close relationships, BPD sufferers will overact when they perceive a threat of rejection which can impair a relationship seriously.
The sufferers report their feelings of ignore and abandon by someone. When this happens, the negative scenarios will fill their thoughts, then escalate into a full-on reality in the mind that others either abandon by shaming them or by removing themselves from their life permanently.[14]
As a result, this extremely angry emotion because of feeling abandoned can lead violence. [1]
This problem widely exists among suffers, and many of them find it difficult to maintain a relationship with families, friends and partners. Lack of self-constancy is the main reason which psychiatrists focus on in the treating process.[4]
What harm self-constancy?[edit]
Self-constancy can be harmed in both childhood and adulthood. It is more easier to be impacted in childhood, especially when a child depends on his or her primary caregivers, such as a mother and father. This can lead to primary attachment issues:
- AvoidanceSocial contact
Self-constancy can be damaged when parents or primary caregivers are too strict or ignore children. The children perceive rejection constantly, and their own emotional needs are overlooked. So they are most likely to manifest in adulthood as emotional unavailability or intimacy avoidance in close relationships.[11]
- Ambivalence
When a child experiences an inconsistent early life, this may result in the need to over-attach later in life. If people have been hurt in relationships before, they will be emotionally available the one moment, and rejecting the next, with strong senses of anxiety and insecurity.[3]
- Disorganization
If a primary caregiver denies a child emotional demands through erratic or even aggressive behavior, it may cause severe senses of disorientation, disorganization, and aggression for the child. In his or her adulthood, they will have problems in the following areas:
- Regulating emotions
- Social contact (e.g. Social phobia)
- Keeping relationships. (e.g. Being insensitive to a partner's needs.)[3]