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Among analysts there is much variation in points of view regarding theory and technique. Three sources of the author's particular stance are: Freud's theory of superego formation and the inner reality of the child; Melanie Klein's ideas of the primitive stages of children's mental functions, the schizoparanoid and depressive positions; Bion's theories of group dynamics. Bion postulates that a group forms in regard to an external reality task. The work group functions similarly to the ego of an individual. 'Basic assumption activities' interfere with the rational activity of the group. These are 'dependence', the search for leader nourishment and support; 'the pairing group', hope and expectation involving the leader and creating a twosome; 'fight-flight', a collective fantasy to fight against a persecutor or to defend oneself by running away. Therapeutic group dynamics oscillate between 'dependency' and the reproduction of primitive stages of development and integrative forces. Considering the former, group settings are much nearer psychotic patterns of conduct. Here then is the essential difference between group and bipersonal analytic situations. The group mobilizes the most ancient irrational fantasies and anxieties.