Storozhenko, N. V. Narcissism and the Mirror Stage

Abstract: The author of this article bases his studies on the analysis of Jacques Lacan’s views presented in his Mirror stage and views of his follower Françoise Dolto. Having assimilated Dolto’s hypothesis that a child has the unconscious image of his body before his identification during the Mirror stage, the author tries to find relevant prerequisites and means in Lacan’s concept. Thus, the author provides a more profound insight into the stage of mental development before the Mirror one. In particular, the author describes mechanisms and peculiarities of formation of the primary narcissism preceding narcissism during the Mirror stage. The research is original because the author studies one’s body identification, Ego and Super Ego during the Mirror stage. It allows the author to describe the structure of associated mental process and extends the borders of determinism of formation of neurosis and other mental diseases (such as childhood schizophrenia that is the basis of the author’s research).

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