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(1961). International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 42:9-20

Free Association: Conceptual and Clinical Aspects

Leopold Bellak

Free association is the cornerstone of psycho-analytic technique and the main instrument of psycho-analytic research. It is, in fact, known as the Fundamental Rule; nevertheless, literature dealing with it is scanty and a systematic metapsychological consideration non-existent.

The present paper, one in a series of efforts to review and re-examine basic concepts of psycho-analytic theory and practice (1), (2), (3), (7), attempts to begin to correct this defect: it will not be exhaustive. The need to be systematic and, at least in brief, comprehensive, makes it necessary, at least en passant, to restate what is generally well known or even obvious. There is a possible reward in attempting to order and review, in that a new perspective may be gained, empirical practice made more explicit, problems noted and, possibly, the attempt to arrive at new formulations furthered.

The History of the concept of association is a long one: Aristotle, in his discussion of logic, was the first to

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