If a hungry infant cries and kicks,Klein would say that it is
A)motivated by the death instinct.
B)inventing a sign language to communicate distress with its mother.
C)fantasizing about kicking or destroying the "bad" breast.
D)engaging in random behavior.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Melanie Klein, a psychoanalyst known for her work in child psychology and psychoanalysis, would interpret a hungry infant's crying and kicking as the infant fantasizing about kicking or destroying the "bad" breast. This is based on her theory of object relations, where infants split objects into "good" and "bad" parts based on their experiences of satisfaction or frustration. In this context, the "bad" breast is the one that is not providing nourishment, leading to frustration and aggressive fantasies.

If a Hungry Infant Cries and Kicks,Klein Would Say That