Biomaterial Database

Notes on the uses of psychoanalysis for biography. 1987

B C Meyer

It is the dual aim of this presentation to explore the scope and to define the limits of what psychoanalysis can offer to the field of biography. In pursuit of these goals emphasis is placed upon the influence of the writer's emotional attachment to his subject, which, despite intensive psychoanalytic training and experience, may compromise his objectivity and contaminate his narrative. In addition, attention is drawn to psychological issues in the life of the creative artist which may play a decisive role both in determining the quality of his work and in stimulating its production.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009769	Object Attachment	Emotional attachment to someone or something in the environment.	Bonding (Psychology),Bonds, Emotional,Emotional Bonds,Object Relations,Symbiotic Relations (Psychology),Bonding, Psychological,Object Relationship,Psychological Bonding,Attachment, Object,Attachments, Object,Bond, Emotional,Bondings (Psychology),Emotional Bond,Object Attachments,Object Relation,Object Relationships,Relation, Object,Relation, Symbiotic (Psychology),Relations, Object,Relations, Symbiotic (Psychology),Relationship, Object,Relationships, Object,Symbiotic Relation (Psychology)
D011572	Psychoanalysis	The separation or resolution of the psyche into its constituent elements. The term has two separate meanings: 1. a procedure devised by Sigmund Freud, for investigating mental processes by means of free association, dream interpretation and interpretation of resistance and transference manifestations; and 2. a theory of psychology developed by Freud from his clinical experience with hysterical patients. (From Campbell, Psychiatric Dictionary, 1996).	Psychodynamic Analysis,Analyses, Psychodynamic,Analysis, Psychodynamic,Psychodynamic Analyses
D011573	Psychoanalytic Interpretation	Utilization of Freudian theories to explain various psychologic aspects of art, literature, biographical material, etc.	Interpretation, Psychoanalytic,Psychoanalytical Interpretation,Interpretation, Psychoanalytical,Interpretations, Psychoanalytic,Interpretations, Psychoanalytical,Psychoanalytic Interpretations,Psychoanalytical Interpretations
D003405	Creativity	The ability to generate new ideas or images.	Creativeness,Innovativeness,Originality,Artistic Creativity,Creative Ability,Creative Thinking,Ability, Creative,Creative Abilities,Creativity, Artistic,Thinking, Creative
D005060	Europe	The continent north of AFRICA, west of ASIA and east of the ATLANTIC OCEAN.	Northern Europe,Southern Europe,Western Europe
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001680	Biographies as Topic	Works about a written account of a person's life and the branch of literature concerned with the lives of people.	Biography as Topic
D014956	Writing	The act or practice of literary composition, the occupation of writer, or producing or engaging in literary work as a profession.