Relationship experiences and the activation of fantasies in infants in the theories of Melanie Klein and Daniel Stern

摘要

The goal of this article is to compare the theories by Melanie Klein and Daniel Stern with respect to the activation of fantasies during early internalization of relationships. Melanie Klein's notion is that there are innate drives and fantasies, which result in mental conflicts from the beginning of life. These are in turn resolved by distorting defense mechanisms. This view is challenged by modern infant research. On the basis of own experimental as well as clinical work, Daniel Stern devised a theory about self-experience in early childhood. According to him, early development is not characterized by distorting defense mechanisms. He claims that there are distinct forms of self-experience on the grounds of which relationships are internalized appropriate to reality. I argue that Klein's theory is untenable with respect to development. Logical problems and inconsistencies in her theory are elucidated to corroborate my view.