The Affect Theory of Silvan Tomkins for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy: Recasting the Essentials

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The Affect Theory of Silvan Tomkins for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy explores central issues in current clinical work, using the theories put forward by Silvan Tomkins and presenting them in detail, as well as integrating them with the most up-to-date neuroscience findings and infancy research, all based on a biopsychosocial, dynamic systems approach.Part I describes the essentials of life, based on our evolutionary and biological heritage, namely a need for a coherent understanding of one’s world and the capacity to act in that world; the infant's capacities are described in detail as embodying both. Longitudinal data is provided beginning at birth into the third year of life. Part II reviews current debates in psychoanalysis relating to motivation, and the lack of an internally consistent theory. Recent neuroscience findings are presented, which both negate drive theory, and support Tomkins' theory. His theory is then described in detail. In Part III, two case histories are presented: one is a clinical case illustrating one of Tomkins' affect powered scripts. The second case is drawn from a longitudinal study extending from birth, into early adulthood, which is made sense of with the help of Tomkins' theory. Demos concludes with a look at competing approaches to theory and responds to recent cognitive-based attempts to disprove both Tomkins' work and the latest findings from neuroscience. The Affect Theory of Silvan Tomkins for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy will appeal to psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists, as well as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: Early beginnings: Basic essentials, neonatal capacities, and longitudinal data on two infant girls into their third year of life 1. New developmental paradigms Stage theories Adopting a biopsychosocial perspective to development Biological givens: the human brain neurons Brain organization Conscious–non-conscious–unconscious Infant capacity for psychological experience Infant perceptual capacities Infant intentionality Infant social capacities Concluding implications 2. Basic human priorities Initial conditions of psychic development Psychic coherence Psychic organization Stimuli and affect regulation Agency AIM and affective sequences The interplay between coherence and agency Where does attachment fit in? 3. Longitudinal studies Initial regulation: birth to 3 months Reciprocal exchanges: 4 to 6 months Initiative: 7 to 9 months Focalization: 10 to 13 months Self-assertion: 14 to 20 months Recognition and continuity: 18 to 36 months Part II: Critical review of psychoanalytic theories of motivation, integration of current neuroscience, and Silvan Tomkins’ comprehensive affect theory 4. Motivation theory reformulated What has impeded the development of an affect theory in psychoanalysis? Freud’s changing conceptualizations Efforts to modify Freud’s dual instinct theory What does a theory of motivation need to provide? How does current neural science conceptualize these issues? 5. Silvan Tomkins’ affect theory Why has it taken so long for Tomkins’ discoveries to be recognized? Tomkins’ commitment to a theory of motivation and affect A description of the primary affects The function of each specific affect The evolution of the affect system Tomkins’ polarity theory 6. Silvan Tomkins’ script theory: A theory of personality An example of script formation The major affective scripts Part III: Two case presentations: Clinical case and longitudinal case from birth into adulthood illustrating an affect-driven script as defined by Tomkins 7. Revisiting the repetition compulsion A case presentation Concluding discussion 8. Trauma and the anti-toxic script The definition of trauma and the anti-toxic script Longitudinal case material Observational data of parental behaviors How does Eric experience this family? Things change at around 8 months Data from the play sessions at the clinic Three-yearly assessments Assessments before, during, and after the first grade Twenty-five-year follow-up Discussion and a consultation with Silvan Tomkins Tomkins’ formulation Final contact with Eric at age 35 Concluding comments Afterword Bibliography Index