Meeting of the Psychoanalytic Association of New York

DISCUSSION: Dr. Lawrence Sabot commented that Dr. Silverman's presentation was consistent with conclusions presented over the past decade in a growing body of studies in child development. Dr. Silverman indicated that there is a developmental line which culminates in adult feminine identity. Such a developmental line would preclude our considering the contributions and conflicts of any given libidinal phase as the sole significant determinant; instead, we would view the sense of femininity as an emerging entity, a confluence of self-representations, molded and shaped by external and internal influences along the developmental continuum. The small girl's reactions to the awareness of sexual differences are complicated by the almost unavoidable quota of narcissistic hurt experienced by all children during the rapprochement crisis. Dr. Sabot also questioned the curative effect of simply correcting early conceptual errors: the factors contributing to impaired self-esteem in a woman usually involve more than the misconceptions she had as a little girl. Stress must also be placed on the importance of identifications, of various ego and superego factors, and of the influence of family and culture. Dr. Barbara Deutsch remarked that the problem of the cognitive conceptualization of the female genitalia is compounded by the cloacal nature of bodily sensations in this area which increases the difficulty in discrimination. No matter how helpful and accurate parental information is, a little girl is unable to conceptualize this area accurately until the age of six or seven. A problem may remain for some women throughout adult life, even though they have cognitive capability. This is not so different from a child's incapacity to understand and conceptualize other mysteries, such as parental intercourse or where babies come from. For all little girls who have been observed, the discovery of the differences between the sexes brings narcissistic disappointment. Whether