ABSTRACT
Much has been written about idealization and its import for self and self-awareness. Idealization meant as perfection has shades of difference from idealization referring to imagination, a mental image, in the cognitive styles of patients. The perfectionistic idealization of the obsessional is clinically different from the living idealistically in imagination of the schizoid person. Idealization occurs at any developmental stage. It is particularly in the juvenile era and in adolescence, however, that it is important to differentiate ideal and real selves, just as gender differences become much more crucial in this developmental phase with the maturing of the lust dynamism and independence from the family. It is crucial that psychoanalysts differentiate the ideal and real selves in themselves and in their work; they should also be aware of the role of gender in the areas. J. Malcolm says psychoanalysts construct only a neurotic other in work with patients.
