{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/10482"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/10482","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Recognising the compensatory or defensive nature of competitive behaviour via dynamics in the intersubjective field : a case study","abstract":"In this dissertation I explore the underlying psychological function of the competitive behaviour of an 11-year-old boy, whom I treated in individual psychotherapy. I postulate that his competitiveness functioned partly as a self-invigorating compensation, and partly as a defense against an injury to the self. I emphasize the fact that it is difficult, in practice, to recognize compensatory versus defensive structures in that the behaviour and affect fluctuates such that these internal structures are at times helpful to the patient, and at times harmful in the sense that they obscure the underlying self injury. I suggest that inclusion of the intersubjective field was essential in assisting me, as the therapist, to recognize the defensive or compensatory nature of the patient's affect and behaviour at any given time. Thus, the intersubjective field is included - my responses, the personal material evoked and the relationship dynamic between the patient and I - as an essential aspect of working with the patient's competitiveness.","abstract_html":"In this dissertation I explore the underlying psychological function of the competitive behaviour of an 11-year-old boy, whom I treated in individual psychotherapy. I postulate that his competitiveness functioned partly as a self-invigorating compensation, and partly as a defense against an injury to the self. I emphasize the fact that it is difficult, in practice, to recognize compensatory versus defensive structures in that the behaviour and affect fluctuates such that these internal structures are at times helpful to the patient, and at times harmful in the sense that they obscure the underlying self injury. I suggest that inclusion of the intersubjective field was essential in assisting me, as the therapist, to recognize the defensive or compensatory nature of the patient's affect and behaviour at any given time. Thus, the intersubjective field is included - my responses, the personal material evoked and the relationship dynamic between the patient and I - as an essential aspect of working with the patient's competitiveness.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Fielding, Ann"],"institution":"Department of Psychology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Swartz, Sally"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2003,"date_issued":"2003","date_published":"2003","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:34:16Z","subjects":[],"languages":["eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10482","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Swartz, Sally"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Fielding, Ann"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-12-29T05:01:07Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-12-29T05:01:07Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2003"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Psychology"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cape Town"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["MA"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10482"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Includes bibliography."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In this dissertation I explore the underlying psychological function of the competitive behaviour of an 11-year-old boy, whom I treated in individual psychotherapy. I postulate that his competitiveness functioned partly as a self-invigorating compensation, and partly as a defense against an injury to the self. I emphasize the fact that it is difficult, in practice, to recognize compensatory versus defensive structures in that the behaviour and affect fluctuates such that these internal structures are at times helpful to the patient, and at times harmful in the sense that they obscure the underlying self injury. I suggest that inclusion of the intersubjective field was essential in assisting me, as the therapist, to recognize the defensive or compensatory nature of the patient's affect and behaviour at any given time. Thus, the intersubjective field is included - my responses, the personal material evoked and the relationship dynamic between the patient and I - as an essential aspect of working with the patient's competitiveness."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Recognising the compensatory or defensive nature of competitive behaviour via dynamics in the intersubjective field : a case study"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Swartz, Sally"],"dc:creator":["Fielding, Ann"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-12-29T05:01:07Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-12-29T05:01:07Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2003"],"dc:description":["Includes bibliography."],"dc:description.abstract":["In this dissertation I explore the underlying psychological function of the competitive behaviour of an 11-year-old boy, whom I treated in individual psychotherapy. I postulate that his competitiveness functioned partly as a self-invigorating compensation, and partly as a defense against an injury to the self. I emphasize the fact that it is difficult, in practice, to recognize compensatory versus defensive structures in that the behaviour and affect fluctuates such that these internal structures are at times helpful to the patient, and at times harmful in the sense that they obscure the underlying self injury. I suggest that inclusion of the intersubjective field was essential in assisting me, as the therapist, to recognize the defensive or compensatory nature of the patient's affect and behaviour at any given time. Thus, the intersubjective field is included - my responses, the personal material evoked and the relationship dynamic between the patient and I - as an essential aspect of working with the patient's competitiveness."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10482"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher.department":["Department of Psychology"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Cape Town"],"dc:title":["Recognising the compensatory or defensive nature of competitive behaviour via dynamics in the intersubjective field : a case study"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["MA"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:34:16Z"}