Question 69

Transference

Psychoanalysts refer to the type of unconscious behavior exhibited by Dolly as transference. This phenomenon occurs when a patient projects feelings and attitudes from one relationship, in this case, her mother, onto another person, such as her therapist.

A) Insight

Insight refers to the understanding or awareness a patient gains about their own thoughts and feelings through therapy. While gaining insight is a critical goal of therapy, it does not describe the unconscious transfer of emotions and behaviors from one relationship to another, which is central to transference.

B) Free association

Free association is a therapeutic technique where patients speak freely about their thoughts, feelings, and dreams without censorship. Although it can reveal unconscious processes, free association itself does not involve the projection of feelings onto the therapist, which is the essence of transference.

C) Transference

Transference is the correct term for the unconscious behavior Dolly is exhibiting. It describes the process by which patients transfer feelings and attitudes from one significant relationship onto their therapist, often mirroring the dynamics they have with important figures in their life, such as a parent.

D) Resistance

Resistance refers to the patient's reluctance or refusal to discuss certain thoughts or feelings in therapy. It represents a defense mechanism against anxiety but does not involve the external projection of feelings, making it distinct from transference.

E) Interpretation

Interpretation is a method used by therapists to help patients understand the meaning behind their thoughts and behaviors. While it plays a role in therapy, it does not encompass the unconscious behavior of relating to the therapist like one would with a parent, which is specifically what transference describes.

Conclusion

Transference is the most accurate term for the behavior Dolly is experiencing, as it captures the unconscious replication of her relationship with her mother in her interactions with her therapist. The other options, while relevant to psychoanalytic theory and practice, do not specifically address the phenomenon of projecting past feelings onto a current relationship, making them incorrect in this context.