Running head: WOMEN IN PSYCHOLOGY

Women in Psychology Ma ga e! Mahle "ni#e si!y o$ Phoeni%

WOMEN IN PSYCHOLOGY &'( CH)R)C*ERS OR LESS+ Women in Psychology Ma ga e! Mahle -as one o$ many -omen -i!hin !he $ield o$ .sychology -ho /ecame #e y in$luen!ial !o many di$$e en! / anches o$ !his $ield0 Ma ga e! iden!i$ied and sough! ou! !he need $o $u !he esea ch -i!hin child de#elo.men!0 Ma ga e! $ocused u.on1 ea ly se.a a!ion2 mo!he and in$an! duali!y2 de#elo.men!al ego .sychology2 and also -o 3ing -i!h child en -ho -e e

su$$e ing $ om .sychosis0 Ma ga e! -as #e y $ocused on child de#elo.men!2 s.eci$ically in ho.es !o $ind an ans-e !o ho- a child a i#es a! ones 4sel$05 Sel$6 e. esen!a!ion -as ano!he !o.ic -i!hin child de#elo.men! !ha! Ma ga e! esea ched and /uil! u.on0

Background Ma ga e! Mahle -as /o n Ma ga e! Sch7n/e ge in 189: on May !he 1(!h2 in So. on2 Hunga y0 Ma ga e! g e- u. -i!hin a dys$unc!ional $amily dynamic2 -he e he $a!he -as #e y $ond o$ he 2 lea#ing Ma ga e!;s mo!he <ealous and en#ious o$ !he ela!ionshi. Ma ga e! and he $a!he c ea!ed0 Ma ga e!;s $a!he 2 = 0 Gus>!a# Sch7n/e ge 2 -as a -ell63no-n .hysician as -ell as a sociali!e in !he communi!y0 Gus>!a# ! ea!ed Ma ga e! as a son2 com.le!ely igno ing he $eminini!y0 =ue !o !his dynamic2 Ma ga e! and he mo!he -e e no! close and did no! .ossess any !y.e o$ ma!e nal connec!ion -i!h one ano!he 0 Ma ga e! la!e on had a li!!le sis!e 2 Su>anne2 -hom Ma ga e!;s mo!he immedia!ely sus!ained as 4he 5 child0 Ma ga e! $el! an immense amoun! o$ e<ec!ion -hen he mo!he only $ocused on Su>anne and didn;! seem !o ca e a/ou! Ma ga e!0 *he e<ec!ion /egan !o !a3e o#e Ma ga e! and /ecame and unheal!hy in$es!a!ion0 )n

o#e -helming2 .sychologically de$ining momen! $o Ma ga e! occu ed -hen she o#e hea d he mo!he say !o he younge sis!e 4I ha#e / ough! you in!o !his -o ld2 I suc3le you2 I lo#e you2 I ado e you2 I li#e only $o you2 you a e my -hole li$e?@ &@Child =e#elo.men! Media2 Inc0@2 ,(1,+0

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Ma ga e! la!e on in li$e eali>ed !ha! !he eason -hy she /ecame so in!e es!ed in .sychoanalysis -as due !o !he men!al a/use o$ -a!ching he mo!he /ecome so a!!ached !o he sis!e 0 One o$ Ma ga e!;s mos! ! easu ed momen!s -as -hen he sis!e Su>anne /u n! he $ace -hile using a $la! i on !o s! aigh!en he hai 0 Ma ga e!;s mo!he /ecame dis!u /ed !ha! Ma ga e!;s sis!e 2 he only 4. e!!y daugh!e 5 uined he $ace0 Ma ga e! $el! no lo#e $ om he mo!he o $ om he sis!e 2 and only $el! a minimum connec!ion $ om he $a!he 0 *his le$! Ma ga e! $eeling se#e e emo!ional de#as!a!ion2 all caused /y !his s! ange dynamic o$ .a en!al $a#o i!ism0 Luc3ily2 Ma ga e! -as a/le !o /ecome dis! ac!ed $ om he a/no mal home li$e -hen she s!a !ed e%celling in scholas!ics0 Ho-e#e 2 e#en in he scholas!ics Ma ga e! $ound he sel$

.assiona!ely u.se! a/ou! -ha! she -as lea ning in school2 mos!ly .e !aining !o ineBuali!y s!anda ds ela!ing !o -omen and Ce-s0 Ma ga e! e%celled in mos!ly ma!hema!ics and science2 -hich -e e $ields o$ s!udy !ha! -e e s! ong encou aged /y he $a!he 0 Ma ga e! a!!ended !he High School $o =augh!e s and g adua!ed success$ully0 Ma ga e! !hen decided !o con!inue he educa!ion and a!!end Daci "!cai Gimna>ium in Euda.es!0 =u ing !his !ime .e iod2 i! -as #e y a e $o -omen !o con!inue !hei educa!ion .as! high school0 Once a!!ending Daci "!cai

Gimna>ium2 Ma ga e! -as in! oduced !o !he Hunga ian .sychoanalys! SFndo Ge enc>i2 and /egan !o lea n a/ou! !he s!a!e o$ !he unconscious0 G om !he e Ma ga e! g e- a . o$ound in!e es! in -an!ing !o lea n !he !eachings o$ Sigmund G eud0 In Se.!em/e o$ 191H Ma ga e! s!a !ed !o a!!end !he "ni#e si!y o$ Euda.es! as ) ! His!o y ma<o 2 /u! less !han a yea la!e decided !o ma3e !he s-i!ch !o /ecome a medical . o$essional0 Sch7n/e ge a!!ended medical school in !h ee di$$e en! loca!ions consis!ing o$ Munich2 Cena2 and Heidel/e g0 Ma ga e!;s medical ! aining s!a !ed a! !he "ni#e si!y o$ Munich2 /u! un$o !una!ely -as as3ed !o lea#e due !o !o-a ds he !ension !o-a ds Ce-s0 Ne%!2 she ! ans$e ed !o !he "ni#e si!y o$ Cena0 )! !he "ni#e si!y o$ Cena is -he e Ma ga e! eali>ed he yea ning $o child

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de#elo.men!2 and also eali>ed ho- im.o !an! .lay and lo#e -as $o in$an!s !o g o- u. !o /e men!ally and .hysically heal!hy0 In 19,,2 Ma ga e! g adua!ed Cum Lade and le$! $o Dienna !o ge! he medical license !o . ac!ice medicine0 Ma ga e! s!a !ed in !he $ield o$ medicine $ocused in .edia! ics2 /u! soon s-i!ched !o .sychia! ics0 In 19,H2 Sch7n/e ge s!a !ed he ! aining as an analysis and a$!e a long se#en yea s2 -as $inally acce.!ed as an analys!0 Child en -e e he .assion2 she en<oyed !hei com.any and !he -ay !hey didn;! seem !o mind s.ending !ime -i!h he 0 Ma ga e! ma ied Paul Mahle a! !he age o$ A9 in 19AH0 Gi s! mo#ing !o E i!ain due !o !he Na>i;s ise in .o-e 2 !hen mo#ing !o !he "ni!ed S!a!es in 19A80 *he cou.le decided !o se!!le in Ne- Yo 3 -he e Ma ga e! o/!ained a medical license and o.ened u. a . i#a!e . ac!ice in he homes!ead /asemen! -he e she /egan !o e/uild he clien!ele0 La!e 2 Ma ga e! <oined !he Ins!i!u!e o$ Human =e#elo.men!2 !he Educa!ional Ins!i!u!e and !he Ne- Yo 3 Psychoanaly!ic Socie!y0 In 19I8 she -o 3ed on Eenign and Malignan! Cases o$ Childhood Psychosis0 In 198( a! Ea na d;s College commencemen! ce emony2 Ma ga e! -as a-a ded -i!h !he highes! hono 2 !he Ea na d Medal o$ =is!inc!ion0 Ma ga e! Mahle Sch7n/e ge died on Oc!o/e ,2 198'0 Theories Ma ga e! -as e%! emely in!e es!ed in child de#elo.men! and eached dee. in!o !he e%.lo a!ion o$ childhood de#elo.men! and ho- a child a i#es a! ones 4sel$;0 Mahle em.hasi>ed ho- im.o !an! a child;s en#i onmen! -as and ho- dis!u /ances -i!hin !ha! en#i onmen! could eally ma3e an im.ac!0 She -as eally in!e es!ed in mo!he 6in$an! duali!y and sensi/ly ecogni>ed !he im.ac! o$ ea ly se.a a!ion /e!-een child en and !hei mo!he s0 )s a .sychoanalysis2 !his documen!a!ion /ecame he mos! im.o !an! con! i/u!ion !o !he de#elo.men! . ocess -i!hin !he $ield o$ .sychoanalysis0 *he name o$ !his documen!a!ion -as called Jse.a a!ion6indi#idua!ion;0 Ma ga e! !ouched on many di$$e en! a eas o$ !he de#elo.men!al ego .sychology including no mal and a/no mal a eas0 Ma ga e! -o 3ed mainly -i!h child en -ho -e e su$$e ing $ om

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'

.sychological issues2 and a! !his !ime .sychosis had no! /een disco#e ed in !he .sychoanaly!ic ! ea!men! ye!0 Sym/io!ic child .sychosis eally caugh! Mahle ;s a!!en!ion0 *he sym.!oma!ology she

no!iced as de ailmen! o$ !he no mal . ocess !ha! occu ed du ing !he . ocess -hen one /egins !o $ind !hemsel#es2 also 3no-n as sel$6 e. esen!a!ion0 Ma ga e! ad#ised !he JSe.a a!ion6Indi#idua!ion *heo y o$ Child =e#elo.men!; -hich !a3es .lace in .hases2 consis!ing o$ se#e al su/ .hases0 10 No mal )u!ism &/i !h K , mo+ K Pe iods o$ slee. ou!-eigh .e iods o$ a ousal0 ,0 Sym/iosis &,mo K 'mo+ K Mo!he 6in$an! is .e cei#ed as a single $used en!i!y0 =e#elo.ing .e ce.!ual a/ili!ies g adually ena/le in$an!s !o dis!inguish !he inne $ om !he ou!e -o ld A0 =i$$e en!ia!ion &'mo61(mo+ K =is!inc!ness $ om mo!he is a.. ecia!ed0 P og essi#e neu ological de#elo.men! and inc eased ale !ness d a- in$an!;s a!!en!ion a-ay $ om sel$ !o !he ou!e -o ld0 I0 P ac!icing &1( !o 18 mo+ K *he a/ili!y !o mo#e au!onomously inc eases !he child;s e%.lo a!ion o$ !he ou!e -o ld0 '0 Ra.. ochemen! &186,I mo+ K Child en mo#e a-ay $ om !hei mo!he s and come /ac3 $o eassu ance0 )s !hey slo-ly eali>e !hei hel.lessness and de.endence2 !he need $o inde.endence al!e na!es -i!h !he need $o closeness0 H0 O/<ec! Cons!ancy &,6'y s+ K Child en g adually com. ehend and a e eassu ed /y !he .e manence o$ mo!he and o!he im.o !an! .eo.le2 e#en -hen no! in !hei . esence0

Margaret also initiated a theory called Object constancy. Object constancy is when the child realizes that the mother is a truly separate being than itself. The child will not be

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dependent on the mother but instead start a process call internalization. Internalization is an internal representation that the child builds of the mother. Almost like an internal comfort level, instead of needing a physical comfort. This allows the child to have an unconscious level of support and comfort from their mothers. Mahler thought this could possibly stop low selfesteem issue in children and teenagers. Contributions Margaret wrote many books during the course of her education and career which included:

On human symbiosis and the vicissitudes of individuation2 19H90 The psychological birth of the human infant: symbiosis and individuation 2 19:'0 Infantile psychosis and early contributions Rapprochement - critical sub phase, separation - individuation Separation individuation

Ma ga e! o-ned he o-n . i#a!e . ac!ice !ha! she an ou! o$ he /asemen! in Ne- Yo 30 Ma ga e! also ecei#ed an a-a d $ om Ea na d;s College0 Margaret was awarded with the highest honor, the Barnard Medal of Distinction.

Reference Page

Child =e#elo.men! Media2 Inc0 &,(1,+0 Re! ie#ed $ om h!!.:LL---0childde#elo.men!media0comLma ga e!6mahle 6child6de#elo.men!6.ionee 0h!ml Coa!es2 S0 W0 &+0 John ol!by and "argaret S# "ahler: Their $ives and Theories0 Ne- Yo 3 2 NY: 0

WOMEN IN PSYCHOLOGY &'( CH)R)C*ERS OR LESS+

Os!-ald2 P0 G0 &1989+0 iography, %rt, and %utobiography: The "emoirs of "argaret S# "ahler0 : )me ican Psychia! ic )ssocia!ion0