Layers of self: Extending Winnicott's theory on the self (D. W. Winnicott)

This dissertation consists of a synthesis and extension of Winnicott's theory of the development of the self. The original contributions are contained both within the synthesis of Winnicott's vast writing on the self, and the addition of what I call "layers of self" as an extension to his theory. A close examination of his papers on early infant development and the various terms he used for the developing self, revealed an intriguing order that connects these terms within the intricate weaving of his unique conceptualization of the early phases of infant development. I propose that each of Winnicott's phases of holding gives rise to a layer of self that occurs in a progression of early self experiences---the being self, the psyche-soma layer, and the personalization layer. These three layers form the foundation for a whole, central self.; Chapter One introduces Winnicott and his theory of the self. It includes an introduction to the organization of the content of this dissertation.; Chapter Two presents an analysis of relevant object relations theories within the framework of three evolving concepts of the self, in order to provide the vocabulary and theoretical foundation for examining Winnicott's writings on the self. First, the larger concepts of the self and the ego are examined, followed by a description of the self as mental representations, ending with a view of the self as formed by subjective experiences.; In Chapter Three, a synthesis of Winnicott's key concepts of the self is presented to provide a foundation for my thesis on the layers of the self. Winnicott's theory of development is described from both the mother's and the infant's perspectives, with his three levels of dependence used as an organizing framework to describe various aspects of the infant's experience during early development.; I introduce my concept of the "layers of self" in Chapter Four. This idea extends and augments Winnicott's theory because it brings in a more textured and organic quality to early phases of self experience. Each layer of self contains threads of experiences from the infant's internal world interwoven with its experiences and relationship with its environment. The three layers of self that I propose extends Winnicott's theory are the "being layer", as the core of the self, the "psyche-soma layer", as the body-psyche connection, and the "personification layer", where personal content and identity are established. Finally, a whole self results that is a consolidation of these coexisting three layers into an evolving, complex, and cohesive central self.; Chapter Five discusses my conclusions and clinical implications of the three layers of self.