ABSTRACT
So far I have described, from infant research, some important traits of the innate endowment of the newborn. We have seen that the observed child already possesses, from birth onwards, the capacity to perceive its own body boundaries; thus it can distinguish itself from the mother. Of course, all this is outside reflected awareness. But taken together, the newborn has astonishing capacities of perception and reaction. In addition, the specific human motivational systems and basic affects are already in operation and are observable in various infant activities. One can assume that they also express diverse rudimentary experiences of the infant. In other words, there is an essential archetypal inheritance already in place; but it needs, in order to become fully effected, the contribution of the maternal caregiver.
