Moving ahead: Integrating influences of affective processes for development and for psychoanalysis

The author argues that psychoanalytic clinical thinking has evolved towards an organisational model of affect and that multidisciplinary research broa dens this thinking. Integrative influences of affective processes have been given little attention in psychoanalytic theory. Such influences are revie wed using examples from research in early development. Affective processes are shown to provide integrative influences across systems in an individual 's development, facilitating developmental change, as well as developmental continuity. In a related vein, affective processes pro vide incentives for the development of both individuality and connectedness with others. The n otion of an 'affective core of self is updated and the important psychoanal ytic idea of emotion schemas of self in relation to others is reviewed. Int egrating influences of affective processes in psychoanalysis operate mainly non-consciously and are in need of further study.