ABSTRACT
The notion of projective identification describes three kinds of processes: (1) communicating affective, emotional states; (2) disposing of disturbing mental content by projecting it into an object, and controlling it by controlling that object; (3) penetrating the interior of an object to take possession of it or to degrade it. The first form is “normal”, the second and third are pathological. Projective identification occurs with external objects and/or with internal objects. The normal form of projective identification, in the service of communication, takes place with external objects. It is based on nonverbal communication. The pathological forms (phantasmatically entering the object to control it or to borrow its identity, or to get rid of disturbing mental content) take place first with internal objects and secondly with external objects. Projective identification with internal objects gives a “pseudo” appearance to the personality and underlies the incorporation fantasy. It is imperative to determine whether introjection prevails over projection during identificatory processes, in which case the ego expands its identificatory experience without profoundly transforming itself, or whether projection prevails over introjection, in which case the ego loses itself and alienates itself by borrowing the identity of the (incorporated) penetrated object.
