Clinical Social Work Journal

Vol. 15, No. 4, Winter 1987

BOOK REVIEW

BEYOND EGO PSYCHOLOGY: DEVELOPMENTAL OBJECT RELA-

TIONS THEORY, Rubin and Gertrude Blanck, New York: Columbia
University Press, 1986, 212 pages, $25.00.

When Freud wrote The Ego and the Id in 1923 he went beyond the topographic
model of psychoanalytic theory and created the structural model. Thus he went
beyond his previous formulations, laying the groundwork for what has come to be
known as ego psychology. Despite their book title, the Blancks do not go beyond
the tripartite structural model, from which ego psychology is inseparable, to es-
tablish a new theoretical model. What they do is nevertheless quite impressive.
They rethink and reorganize current theory in light of advances in our knowl-
edge, offering some new perspectives on normal development and pathology and
suggesting an amendment to the classical tripartite structural model which they
feel resolves some of its difficulties. Whether the difficulties cited by the Blancks
justify such extensive theoretical revision is a question the reader must answer
for him or herself.
There are two major thrusts in this new work. The first is their conceptual-
ization ofthe ego as existing on two levels: the ego of structure which is responsi-
ble for most ofthe ego functions with which psychoanalytic theorists are familiar,
and a superordinate ego which has the function of coordinating the psyche so that
effective solutions are found that make all of the psychic institutions work in a
way consistent with the goal of adaptation. The second thrust is a much heavier
emphasis on object relations theory than was seen in their earlier work.
The concept of a superordinate ego is drawn from a number of sources. Freud
at times referred to "the ego as a whole" (p. 30) as distinct from the ego of struc-
ture. Jacobson elaborates on superordinate structure but sees the superego as the
structure with superordinate qualities. Spitz uses the term central steering mech-
anism which "refers to an organized direction of energy, affect and drive, con-
ducted by already existing structures, as well as increased capacity for compre-
hension of external reality." (p. 32)
The superordinate ego is described as the executive agency of the psyche
which has the ultimate function, under optimal circumstances, of "fitting to-
gether" (p. 36), Hartman's term referring to the process by which equilibrium is
maintained between the individual and the environment as well as between the
instinctual drives and the mental institutions. Subsumed under fitting together
is Nunberg's somewhat narrower concept, "the synthetic function." (p. 36) Where
circumstances are less than optimal the superordinate ego has the function of
facilitating regression to points of relative safety. Thus it always strives for "pres-
ervation ofthe organism by resolution of conflict and favoring of ongoing develop-
mental processes." (pp. 34-35)
Its metbod of functioning, as envisioned by the Blancks, explains why object
relations theory is so prominent in their current thinking. They suggest that the

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organizing process creates systems which "evolve through repetiti

experiences which achieve coherent organization by using specific pathways, pro-
grams, defenses and adaptations to attain ever greater stability." (p. 33) They go
on, "Included there are programmed patterns of relatedness to self and others
called object relations which, of course, involves transference phenomena." (p. 33)
They are referring to the process of internalization.
In a separate chapter on object relations the Blancks discuss how, as growth
proceeds toward higher levels of separation and individuation, fleeting (object)
images coalesce into stable mental representations which form a "slot" contain-
ing "qualities and characteristics which derive from the specific affective experi-
ence with the primary object." (p. 57) This slot is a model against which new ex-
temal objects will be measured, and presumably into which the individual will
try to fit them. Where the superordinate ego functions well, new objects can be
more easily subject to reality testing and to some extent the slot can be modified
to accommodate differences.
The Blancks' conceptualization of object relations is strongly influenced by
their developmental orientation. They hold with Freud's last view of the drives,
that aggression serves separation while libido serves connection. They do not
hold, however, with his belief, connected with the death instinct theory, that ag-
gression is destructive. Rather, they see libido and aggression as serving a clutch-
ing and unclutching process which leads to increasingly higher levels of develop-
ment with increasing autonomy for the individual. Ultimately, and under
optimal developmental circumstances, the functions ofthe object representations
may be transferred to the self representations, thus reducing the importance of
the object representation and increasing autonomy.
Thoughts about libido as a connecting force and aggression as a separating
force are refiected in the Blancks' view of the treatment process. Libido is neces-
sary for a patient to clutch onto the therapeutic relationship. But, the therapist
keeps in mind the day when growth promoting aggression will be used to un-
clutch the physical presence of the therapist and clutch onto the now improved
functioning of his self images.
Consistent with the above view of development through object relations is
the Blancks' view of Oedipal resolution. Aggression there must be to fuel the de-
velopmental process, but the hostility usually associated with the Oedipus com-
plex can not long be maintained by a child who already has a history of positive
object cathexes to both parents. Hostile appearing Oedipal behaviors are ex-
plained as being due to the growth promoting aspects ofthe aggressive drive in a
child who wishes to supplant the parent in order to do for him or herself what has
been done by the parent. A boy with a long history of positive cathexis to the fa-
ther can not long maintain a wish to murder him nor can he maintain the thought
ofa loving father as a castrator.
What technical implications flow from this book? According to the Blancks,
the concept of a superordinate ego does not dictate radically new techniques but
affirms already established guidelines. They do alter their earlier position that a
rigid distinction be made between psychoanalytic (interpretive) treatment and
psychotherapy (ego building). They now recognize that there are patients who
have enough structure to experience some intersystemic conflict which requires
interpretation but who are also at a level of object relations and have ego weak-
nesses that require ego building techniques. The Blancks suggest that: "Develop-
mental object relations theory in general, and the concept ofa superordinate ego
in particular, provide opportunity for more effective work in dealing with conflict
and resistance since they are perceived as part of the whole structure, with the
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BOOK REVIEWS

therapeutic address focused upon the whole person rather than upon separate
psychic institutions." (p. 171)
In this reviewer's mind one question remains. If a superordinate institution
is needed, why is the concept tied only to the ego? If we need a concept for an exec-
utive apparatus which is superordinate to the structures of the psyche whether
they be id, ego or superego, would it not make more sense to use a term that is
not tied to any one of them? The Blancks indicate that Spitz's term, the central
steering mechanisms is synonymous with the term superordinate ego, why not
use that instead? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that Spitz's concept never
really caught on. We are accustomed to thinking of the ego of structure as serving
adaptation, and to radically separate the concept of superordinate ego from that of
ego would be difficult to synthesize with our current mode of thinking.

Richard Trachtman
New York, N.Y.