Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 1, 1953, No. 1: Annie Reich. 'Narcissistic Object Choice in Women.'

The ego ideal in contrast to the superego is the outcome of a narcissistic identification with the idealized parent (Nunberg). Persistence of grandiose ego ideals is the outcome of disturbances of object relationship and ego development. Regression is particularly responsible when the ego ideal shows unsublimated sexual features. Fixation

of magic imitative gesturing (Berta Bornstein) results in the ego ideal remaining external and thus forms the basis of the 'as if' (Helene Deutsch) personality. Especially in women the awareness of their difference from men may lead to a regressive revival of primitive ego ideals. Women may arrive at a narcissistic object choice when the narcissistic ego ideal is externalized and fused with a love object. The ego-ideal can therefore become a measure of the degree of pathology of the object choice. In women the need for identification can become the basis of a subservient relationship to men. The masochistic element in such subservience is frequently based on the over-compensation of aggressive feelings against men. Idealization and identification with the idealized object may become the main content of the object relationship. Dependence on 'public opinion' or specific third persons results from the pairing of a disturbed ego ideal with an insufficiently developed superego. Sudden, aggressive demolition of idealized figures, combined with depressive lowering of self-esteem is based upon predominance of aggression against the objects on whom the ego ideal is built.