ABSTRACT
This chapter provides that the differences in the theoretical constructions to the different points of view, the different expectations and the different terms used. In principle there are—as emphasized by Robert Walder—two possible ways: direct observation of the infant and reconstruction of infantile behaviour from the data of adult life. It is a commonplace that the ultimate goal of all instincts is the union with the object, the recovery of the ego-object-identity. The adult arrives nearest to this ultimate goal in the orgasm. Primary narcissism is a very curious notion, full of meaning and still very poor. One is methodological: all the characteristics of the notion "primary narcissism" are negative and in addition all of them contain the restrictive adverb "as yet". Primary narcissism is, thus, a negative notion; moreover, it gives a description of the real situation only during a very short period.
