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Weiss believes that introjection does not describe the process whereby object representations become part of the ego. The object is not thrown, 'jected', by the ego into itself, but the ego includes it or extends itself over it. Internalization is a more suitable concept. Similarly in the case of externalization nothing is thrown out of the ego, but the ego separates itself or withdraws from a portion of itself. The portion or trend of the ego which is externalized is turned into an object representation. This object representation now has ego characteristics. The phenomenon of 'ego passage' has two stages. First, an object representation is internalized within the ego, thus becoming a part of the ego. Second, there is an externalization of the former object representation. Once an object representation is included within the ego it no longer preserves all its original features. Thus the re-externalized object representation assumes certain characteristics of the ego. In neurotic conflict situations there is either no externalization of the representation of the opposite sex or it is incomplete.
Externalization of the object representation—de-egotization—can influence the ego cathexis. The object representation carries with it some of the ego cathexis. Castration fear assumes its significance in no small measure from the fact that the genitalia are invested biologically with a huge libido supply which feeds the ego as long as these organs and their functions remain egotized. Their de-egotization deprives the ego of such an enormous amount of libido that its dynamic survival is most seriously threatened. Repression can also lead to an impoverishment of the ego cathexis.
Projection must be differentiated from externalization. Projection should be reserved for delusional belief or the belief that another person has some trait of the individual concerned. In both instances there is defective reality testing. The process of externalization turns ego state