Note on the Theory of Libidinal Types

The following remarks are suggested by a study of Freud's Libidinal Types,1 in which psychological types are defined on the basis of the nature and predominance of investment of libido. Freud distinguishes three classes–the erotic, the narcissistic, the compulsive; and suggests, in addition to these "pure types," their possible combinations, or "mixed types"–the erotic-compulsive, the erotic-narcissistic, and the narcissistic-compulsive. Although calling attention to the fact that all these types can exist without manifesting neurosis, Freud surmises that a relation may exist between the libidinal types of characters and the form of neurosis that they may assume in case of neurotic illness, conditioned by other etiological, specific factors.

The question may be raised whether the relation of the libidinal types to pathology is not further determined by the intrinsic developmental position of each libidinal phase that gives specificity to the particular type. Recapitulating Freud's classification, we note: the erotic type, socially and culturally, primarily represents the elementary claims of the id; the narcissistic type, characterized by predominance of interest in self-maintenance and activity, exhibits predominance of the ego; the compulsive type, distinguished by special deference to conscience, represents predominance of the super-ego. We may assume then that the three libidinal types are phylogenetically not of the same order, but represent a progression from the erotic to the narcissistic and to the compulsive, in accordance with the development from the id to the ego and to the super-ego. This leads to the hypothesis that in the relation of libidinal