ABSTRACT
Psychoanalysts and academic (particularly experimental) psychologists are not always mutually at ease. They may not read each other’s papers, attend each other’s conferences, or even try to see the other’s point of view. In this paper I shall argue that such a situation is no simple consequence of specialized concern – those with common interests coming together to discuss – but the result of something more important. For each side feels, not just that the other side rejects it (though of course it does to some extent) but also that such rejection is in some way desirable; desirable – for the other could be a threat.
