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Primal Scene One of the first clinical descriptions of the traumatic effect that the primal scene can have Brandi Roelk and Margaret Stack on a child is seen in the case study of Katharina University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI, USA in Studies on Hysteria. In this case, the young girl is suffering from anxiety attacks that started after observing sexual intercourse between her Synonyms father and his mistress. This overwhelmed Katharina as it stirred up memories of two early First scene; Original scene; Parental sexual sexual traumas that she had experienced. Not only relations was the sight of an activity that she could not comprehend disturbing, it awakened additional disturbing material (Breuer and Freud 1895). In Definition The Interpretation of Dreams, Freud described a case of a 27-year-old male patient who reported fi The primal scene is defined as the witnessing by a hearing noises and nding his parents engaging child of the parental sexual act (Freud 1897). in sexual intercourse. This client viewed the scene as an aggressive act between his two caregivers. Freud states, “sexual intercourse Introduction between adults strikes any children who may observe it as something uncanny and it arouses anxiety in them...[W]e are dealing with a sexual The first time that the term “primal scene” excitation with which their understanding is was used by Freud was in his 1897 letter to unable to cope...and which their understanding Fliess (Freud 1897). The idea that sexual memo- is unable to cope...and which is therefore trans- ries experienced before they were able to be formed into anxiety” (Freud 1960, p. 585). In understood lead to trauma, however, was delin- the case of the Wolf Man, Freud describes eated by Freud as early as 1896. According to the source of the patient’s neurosis as the result Freud, the emergence of such a memory during a of a primal scene exposure at the age of later period of life “... produces a surplus of 18 months. In this example, Freud concludes sexuality in the psyche which operates as an that his patient interpreted the intercourse inhibition of thought and gives the memory between his parents as an aggressive act perpe- and its consequences an obsessive character- trated by his father onto his mother. Thus, the uninhibitability” (Freud 1896).

# Springer International Publishing AG 2017 V. Zeigler-Hill, T.K. Shackelford (eds.), Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_618-1 2 Primal Scene patient developed a fear of wolves and an inclina- erotic development, achieving genital potency tion toward unconscious homosexual feelings or female acceptance. There is a fusion of aggres- (Freud 1918). sive and erotic drives as well as the ability to tolerate ambivalence. The ability to integrate aggressive and erotic ideas, accept ambivalence, Contemporary Views and achieve erotic maturity gives the individual the capacity to identify with each of the parents Klein, like Freud, viewed the primal scene as (Winnicott 1958). contributing to psychopathology. Primal scene in Corbett (2001) suggested that theories regard- the Kleinian viewpoint is framed within her ing the primal scene do not take into consideration notion of the combined parental figure. Klein’s nontraditional families, such as those with gay or early view noted that the human infant wishes to lesbian parents. That is, the primal scene focuses penetrate its mother and then destroy her inter- on heterosexual intercourse. This has led to theo- nally in an aggressive rage. This fantasy then ries that focus on heterosexual relationships as the induces anxiety in the infant for fear that the foundation of sexuality and procreation. Corbett mother will fight back. The notion of the com- argues that reproductive reality such that repro- bined parental figure is a fantasy in which the duction occurs via heterosexual intercourse con- parents are permanently joined in engaging in tains variance. That is, conceiving a child does violent sexual intercourse. In Klein’s view, the not only include a penis and vagina, it requires primal scene leads to frustration in the infant as sperm uniting with an egg. Corbett argues that due he is being deprived of pleasure that his mother to this reproductive variance, theorists need to and father get to enjoy (Klein 1952). start thinking about primal scene in the context Klein further refined her view, arguing that of nontraditional families (Corbett 2001). the primal scene can go beyond violent infantile Corbett also moves away from the primal wishes and serve a function in healthy develop- scene being directly connected to procreation. ment as well. In this sense, the image of the Instead, he suggests that contemporary views combined parental figure loses strength, and the should look toward more relational processes child can see two separate individuals relating to and view the child’s experience of the primal each other in a happy way. However, even after scene as a unique rather than a universal event. this differentiation, envy can lead the child to He also advocates for placing more attention on revert to the combined parental figure as a defense how the child both participates in his parents’ against feelings of envy. This image of the com- relationship and how he is excluded from a special bined parental figure serves to deny the loving parental activity even if it is not necessarily sexual relationship between the parents as separate indi- in nature (Corbett 2001). viduals and also deny the recognition of sexual Knafo and Feiner (2006) put forward an under- intercourse (Klein 1957). standing of primal scene within an object relations Winnicott viewed the primal scene as a factor perspective. They believe that the concept extends in determining one’s capacity for solitude. In beyond the child witnessing his parents engaged his essay on being alone, Winnicott states that a in sexual relations. Instead, the primal scene can good outcome of the primal scene (real or imag- be thought of as including a combination of ined) would be for the child to accept the rela- both past and present events, reality and fantasy tionship between his parents, master the hate, regarding the child’s relationship to their parents, and use it in service of masturbation. During and how the child perceives their parents’ rela- masturbation, the child accepts both consciously tionship. When forming internalized object rela- and unconsciously their role as “...the third tions, the child may have different views on the person in a three-body or triangular relationship” primal scene. The fantasy can represent to the (Winnicott 1958, p. 31). Being alone in this sense child the loving relationship that the parents indicates that the child has matured in their share, a conflict between the parents, or an Primal Scene 3 empty connection. The way that the primal psychological works of Sigmund Freud, volume scene is viewed by the child is dynamic and can I (1886–1899): Pre-psycho-analytic publications and unpublished drafts (pp. 247–248). London: Hogarth change based on life experiences, narcissistic Press. capabilities, and defensive requirements (Knafo Freud, S. (1918). From the history of an infantile neurosis. and Feiner 2006). In The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud, volume XVII (1917–1919): An infantile neurosis and other works (pp. 1–124). London: Hogarth Press. References Freud, S. (1960). The interpretation of dreams. New York: Basic Books. Breuer, J., & Freud, S. (1895/1957). Studies on hysteria. Klein, M. (1952). Some theoretical conclusions regarding New York: Basic Books. the emotional life of the infant. In Envy and gratitude Corbett, K. (2001). Nontraditional family romance. The and other works (pp. 61–93). New York: Delacorte Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 70(3), 599–624. doi:10. Press/Seymour Lawrence. 1002/j.2167-4086.2001.tb00613.x. Klein, M. (1957). Envy and gratitude. In Envy and grati- Freud, S. (1896). Letter 46 from “extracts from the Fliess tude and other works (pp. 176–235). New York: papers”.InThe standard edition of the complete Delacorte Press/Seymour Lawrence. psychological works of Sigmund Freud, volume Knafo, D., & Feiner, K. (2006). The primal scene: Varia- I (1886–1899): Pre-psycho-analytic publications and tions on a theme. In Unconscious fantasies and the unpublished drafts (pp. 229–232). London: Hogarth relational world (pp. 33–55). Hillsdale: The Analytic Press. Press. Freud, S. (1897). Letter 61 from “extract from the Fliess Winnicott, D. W. (1958). The capacity to be alone. papers”.InThe standard edition of the complete International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 39, 416–420.