Psychology of Women
Vol. I. Girlhood. :Author:Helene Deutsch, M.D. William Heinemann Ltd. Medical Books. 21s.
Throughout her career as a psycho-analyst, Helene Deutsch has been interested in the specific factors of female psychology and has written various papers on the subject. In this book the author makes the attempt to give a full picture of the emotional development of girls from prepuberty onwards. She illustrates her contentions by a rich case material, gained in part by the psycho-analytical method, in part taken from case histories of social agencies or out-patient departments; in addition to this she uses the analysis of works of fiction to prove her views.
In contradiction to the usual meaning of the term prepuberty, the author describes this phase of development as occurring between the ages of 10-12, before the influence of adolescence makes itself felt. During this phase the girl’s ego becomes active in an attempt to master reality. There is a thrust away from the dependence on the mother, tomboyishness in some girls, exaggerated feminity in others ; identifications with girl friends are formed which lead to very intensive, but not always lasting friendships. Sex activities confine themselves as a rule to curiosity, often shared with the gir’ friend. The author maintains that the motive force in this phase is the inherent urge to the ego to mature. Marked bi-sexual tendencies are characteristic of early puberty, owing to a revival of the childhood phase in which there is a wavering in the choice between the two Parents. Strong hetero-sexual tendencies arise in Puberty and adolescence and are expressed very early in three cornered relationships, the brother of a friend being the love object. Very often the contact with the beloved person who fills the girl’s day dreams is strictly avoided, as the realization of sexual urges seems still too dangerous. There is an increase of defence Mechanisms against sexual urges and a tendency to sublimation much greater than in the adolescent boy. The author describes the unconscious motivation of attitudes in puberty, laying stress on the great ease with which identifications are being formed. This factor Plays a role in the greater ” intuition ” of women as c?mpared with men.
. In the chapter on menstruation, the author stresses the importance of the subjective events connected with the hrst menstruation as they have the tendency to recur ?t every other menstruation. The fears and irrational ideas connected with this physiological onset of puberty are discussed and also the tendency to falsify later on, ?vents relating to the first menstruation. Tn the following chapters, what the author calls the ” feminine core ” ls closely investigated. Strong narcissistic tendencies aevelop as a result of a conflict between sexual instincts and the self-preservation power of the Ego. Woman’s Passivity is understood in the light of biology and the act that in early childhood the organ of receptivity is n?t known to the little girl; she can therefore not gratify thf ^*citement, and this leads to what the author calls jle “genital trauma” in the girl. The development masochistic tendencies is thought to be connected ^th the impossibility for the girl to live out her aggres’Ve tendencies, which therefore are turned against ne self. All these factors lead to one of the main j “aracteristics of female psychology?to an elaboration n Phantasy of erotic tendencies and a preparedness for sublimation.
‘n the chapter on the masculinity complex, it is shown t^^ngst other things that active tendencies may lead the best type of motherliness and only in some specific especially of intellectual women, are envy and Citation of men in the foreground.
Homosexuality seems often to be due not to a primary t ^.n8th of masculine tendencies but to a deep fear of s, . Ing over the feminine role in a hetero-sexual relation’P; and a subsequent regression to the early dependence ?nthe mother.
in the last chapter the author discusses social trends relationship to her views oh female psychology. s u is difficult to do justice to the book in a short ^ftimary ; its most positive aspect is certainly the sterly description and intuitive perception of clinical f0 e/”ial, which will prove to be valuable and instructive the psychiatrist as well as social workers and teachers. CqAs far as the author’s theoretical deductions are jt ncerned, one would wish for greater clarity even if reff^61”6 at the cost of intuitive powers. Very little otuerence is made throughout the book to the work of betCr auth?rs> ar”d very rarely is there a clear distinction and nfn ?enera”y accepted psycho-analytical theory * those ideas which the author considers to be her own. the excePtion to this is the author’s controversy with Su accePted theory of penis envy. Although the author fact tS ‘nterest’ng alternatives in explaining certain are ?rS ^emale psychology, her theoretical assumptions stanr0t Very convincing and would have to be sub?p ^ated much more systematically, including factors acce y childhood development, before they could be Pted as an alternative theoretical possibility. Kate Friedlander.
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