Please note: This electronic file you are receiving is intended for one-time use only. Reprints may be requested at a charge of $1 per copy. All materials are copyright protected. No part of these files may be transmitted, distributed or reproduced in any other way without permission from the Wellesley Centers for Women. Please call the publication office at (781) 283-2510 to request additional copies. Project Report A Comparison of Relational Psychologies Renee Spencer, M.S.S.W., Ed.M. Wellesley Centers for Women Wellesley College No.5 Wellesley, MA 02481 2002 Work in Progress Work in Progress is a publication series based on the work of the Stone Center for Developmental Services and Studies at Wellesley College, and it includes papers presented in the Center's Colloquium Series. Work in Progress reflects the Center's commitment to sharing information with others who are interested in fostering psychological well-being, preventing emotional problems, and providing appropriate services to persons who suffer from psychological distress. The publication also reflects the Center's belief that it is important to exchange ideas while they are being developed. Many of the papers, therefore, are intended to stimulate discussion and dialogue, while others represent finished research reports. For those papers which were part of the Colloquium Series, each document includes the substantive material presented by the lecturer, information about the speaker, and, where appropriate, a summary of the subsequent discussion session. Jean Baker Miller Training Institute Founded in 1995, the Jean Baker Miler Training Institute bases its work on the Relational-Cultural Model of psychological development, which grew out of a collaborative process of theory building initiated by the scholars at the Stone Center. The Institute offers workshops, courses, professional trainings, publications, and ongoing projects which explore applications of the relational-cultural approach. At the heart of this work is the belief that the Relational-Cultural Model offers new and better ways of understanding the diversity and complexities of human experience. The Robert S. and Grace W. Stone Center for Developmental Services and Studies Creation of the Robert S. and Grace W. Stone Center for Developmental Services and Studies resulted from a generous gift to Wellesley College by Robert S. and Grace W. Stone, parents of a Wellesley graduate. The Center was dedicated in the fall of 1981, and its programs reflect the Stone family's interest in preventing psychological distress. With the creation of the Stone Center, Wellesley College has enlarged its long- established search for excellence. At Wellesley, the Center has the unique advantage of immersion in a community of scholars and teachers who can add the broad perspective of the humanities, sciences, and social sciences to the Center's psychological expertise. The Stone Center is developing programs aimed toward the following goals: research in psychological development of people of all ages; service demonstration and research projects which will enhance psychological development of college students; service, research, and training in the prevention of psychological problems. Correspondence and inquiries about the publication series should be addressed to Wellesley Centers for Women Publications, Wellesley College, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481-8259. © 2002, by Renée Spencer, M.S.S.W., Ed.M. A Comparison of Relational Psychologies Renée Spencer, M.S.S.W., Ed.M. About the Author TABLE OF CONTENTS Renee Spencer, M.S.S.W., Ed.M., is a doctoral candidate in Human Development and Psychology at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Introduction .......................................................2 Abstract I. Review of Relational Theories This paper provides a review of relational theories of psychological development offered within feminist In the Beginning, There is Both Self and psychology, infancy research, and relational Relationship: The Infant Research ................... 3 psychoanalysis. Areas of convergence and divergence Bringing Psychology into Relationship with among these theories are identified with particular Girls, Women, and Culture: attention to how psychological development, health, Feminist Theories of Development.................. 5 distress, and healing are defined, what the goal of Psychological Growth, Change, and development is understood to be, and how cultural contexts Healing in Relationship with Others: influence development. To then illustrate how a relational perspective shifts the focus of research and offers new Relational Psychoanalysis ................................. 9 insights into existing empirical evidence, the relational theories reviewed in this paper are applied to the risk and II. Bringing Relational Theories in resilience research which has identified that good Relationship with One Another ........... 12 connections with adults provide significant psychological protection for youth who are dealing with adversities. III. Relational Theory as a Way of I would like to express my gratitude to Carol Gilligan, Understanding How Relationships Katherine Weinberg, and Gil Noam for their intellectual Provide Psychological Protection guidance throughout this project. Special thanks also goes to Sarah Shaw and Allyson Pimental for their constant The Evidence: The Power of a Single encouragement and editorial support. Supportive Relationship.................................. 16 Current Explanations of How Supportive Relationships Provide Protection................... 18 Relational Theory as a Way of Understanding How Relationships Provide Psychological Protection: Two Preliminary Hypotheses .... 20 Conclusion ....................................................... 22 1 Introduction groups of theorists responded to their observation of anomalies in their research and clinical work by The study of relationships has always been a part questioning the dominant paradigm of separation in of the study of human development. The obviousness psychology and developing an alternative relational of the importance of relationships makes discussions view. Though they have developed their thinking by of the subject seem trite. At the thought of introducing focusing on different aspects of developmental this topic for discussion among a group of psychology—the feminists on the inclusion of girls psychologists, I can almost imagine the yawns, the roll and women in psychological theory and research, the of the eyes and the “yes, yes, of course relationships relational psychoanalysts on the experiences of adult are important,” as if to say surely we can move on and men and women in therapy, and the infant researchers talk about something we all do not already know. But on relationships between infants and their mothers— has developmental psychology fully grappled with the they make more general claims about the human fact that we are born out of and into relationship with condition and share two basic assumptions: (1) we are others? What does relationship mean? born with an innate capacity for, and desire to engage Many developmental theorists have written about in, relationships with others and (2) an increasing the importance of relationships in human capacity for significant and meaningful connection development. Conceptions of the self as inherently with others is the primary marker of psychological social, and ways of understanding the interplay development and is critical to the development of between self and society, can be found in the work of what is commonly referred to as a sense of self (Aiken early theorists such as Baldwin (1913) and Mead & Trevarthen, 1997; Jordan, Kaplan, Miller, Stiver, & (1934), and that of numerous psychologists Surrey, 1991; Mitchell, 1988). Linking psychological throughout this century (e.g., Ferenczi, 1933; Horney, health and vitality with growth in and through 1937; Sullivan, 1953; Vygotsky, 1978; Winnicott, 1960). relationships with others, the identification and However, it has only been over the past 30 years, exploration of the primary relational processes against the backdrop of the women’s movement in the through which psychological development occurs are United States, that a distinct relational view of central to each of these lines of inquiry. psychological development has begun to take shape. In this paper, I identify the basic concepts of Reframing psychological development as a relational relational psychology as outlined within infancy process, these new theories have developed within research, feminist psychology, and relational feminist psychology (e.g., Gilligan, 1977, 1982; Miller, psychoanalysis and examine places where these 1976), psychoanalysis (e.g., Mitchell, 1988; Stolorow, theories converge and where they diverge. Then, as a Brandshaft, & Atwood, 1987), and research on infant way to illustrate how relational theory shifts our development (e.g., Stern, 1986; Tronick, 1989; understanding of psychological development, I turn to Trevarthen, 1979). They share the foundational idea the research on risk and resilience which has found that self and relationship, rather than representing two one “supportive” relationship with an adult to provide poles of a continuum, or separate and distinct significant psychological protection for adolescents. I psychological experiences, are inextricable and argue that viewing this evidence from a relational therefore incomprehensible when one is viewed in perspective, rather than