Commentary on “Some Implications of New Developments in Neurobiology for Psychoanalytic Object Relations Theory” by Otto Kernberg

Abstract

Many psychoanalysts believe that neuroscience inherently can and should influence psychoanalysis, and it is crucial to examine and incorporate relevant information (Busch, 2019b), whereas others speak, sometimes vehemently, of the irrelevance and even damage of applying these findings to psychoanalysis (Blass & Carmeli, 2007). Therefore, for psychoanalysts writing in this area, it is important to be specific about how neuroscience affects their theoretical and clinical perspectives. Psychoanalysts also need to be alert for confirmation bias, slanting neuroscientific findings to fit their preexisting conceptions and approaches. Dr. Kernberg makes a strong case for the relevance of neuroscience to psychoanalytic concepts of drive and the dynamic unconscious but is less clear about its impact on technique. His conclusions raise important questions about and possible reformulations of psychoanalytic theory and treatment regarding the nature of affect and drive, self and other representations, the structure of the unconscious, unformulated experience, the impact of trauma, and the role of the body.