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Bergler postulates that all psychological phenomena have five layers: 1, unconscious wish; 2, superego reproach pertaining to the wish; 3, primary ego defense; 4, superego reproach pertaining to primary defense; 5, secondary ego defense, which is conscious. The author, using Bergler's basic formulation, attempts to clarify the psychology of sentimentality, which he defines as 'a mood of wistful sadness, most often accompanied by "teary-eyedness", not consciously painful and, at times, consciously pleasurable'. It is often, but not always, connected with nostalgic reminiscence. The deepest layer is of a passive masochistic nature. The first defense relates to pseudo-aggressive fantasies. The second defense is the sentimental reaction; it consists of wistful observation of what the individual maintains he wanted in childhood and did not get—for example, kindness or love—or observation of what he did not want but did get, such as coldness or deprivation. There is no painful depression with the sadness of sentimentality because the superego (which by criticism causes depression) is successfully warded off with the argument, 'just watching, not doing anything'.