Question

The term mirror-phase is associated with:

• A. Klein
• B. Locke
• C. Freud
• D. Lacan

Answer 1

Answer:

D. Lacan

Jacques Lacan and the Mirror Stage

• Jacques Lacan was an influential French psychoanalyst and psychiatrist who significantly reshaped Freudian psychoanalytic theory.
• The concept of the Mirror Stage is one of Lacan's most famous contributions to psychoanalytic thought.
• The Mirror Stage describes a developmental phase in infants, typically occurring between 6 to 18 months of age, where they begin to recognize themselves in a mirror.
• This recognition is crucial as it marks the formation of the ego, the sense of self, and the understanding of one's body as a unified whole.
• Lacan argued that the infant's identification with its reflection is an 'alienating identification'. The image in the mirror is a unified, idealized version of the self that the infant perceives as external and superior to its own fragmented and uncoordinated bodily experience.
• This moment establishes a fundamental duality between the ego and the ideal ego, setting the stage for lifelong internal conflict and the desire to attain that idealized image.
• The Mirror Stage is a foundational concept in understanding Lacan's theories on the Symbolic Order, the Imaginary Order, and the development of human subjectivity.
• Lacan's work has had a profound impact not only on psychoanalysis but also on philosophy, literary theory, cultural studies, and feminist theory, making his concepts relevant for students of literature and related disciplines.
• His major works include 'Écrits' (1966) and his seminars, which were later published.
• Understanding the Mirror Stage is essential for grasping Lacan's critique of traditional ego psychology and his unique perspective on the unconscious and desire.