Introduction

This volume continues to chronicle the evolution of thought by those influenced by self psychology. As numerous authors have noted, the changes are in many areas and lead in many different directions. Subjects range from quantum physics to codependency, and from a discussion of subjectivism, relativism and realism to the function of transitional selfobjects in the genesis and treatment of addictive personality.

There is, of course, considerable work and thought concerning the selfobject, one of the most important concepts in the theory of self psychology. One group of authors attempts to integrate the concept with the classical model. Beebe and Lachmann offer a developmental approach to such an integration. They make a distinction between representational configurations and selfobject configurations. They define the latter as those which are concerned with the maintenance of the selfobject tie and with the cohesion, articulation, and vitality of the self. Representational configurations, on the other hand, have to do with “the qualities of self and other and themes of their interrelationships.” Beebe and Lachmann go on to explore the subtle changes in development in which differentiated patterns of experience in interaction intersect with ongoing, self-perpetuating inner patterns of organization.

Sucharov attempts another solution at the philosophical level. He sees self psychology as offering a mode of description complementary to that of classical theory. Like the wave and particle theories of light,