Introject (Noun)
Meaning
(psychoanalysis) parental figures (and their values) that you introjected as a child; the voice of conscience is usually a parent's voice internalized.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The introject of my strict father continues to influence my self-criticism as an adult, making me feel guilty for the smallest of mistakes.
- In adulthood, Sarah realized that the constant need for perfection was an introject of her high-achieving mother, whose expectations she had internalized as a child.
- The voice of his introjected mother often led him to overthink and second-guess every decision he made.
- Through therapy, Mark recognized that his harsh self-criticism was the result of an introject of his overly critical teacher from childhood.
- Emma struggled with feelings of inadequacy, which stemmed from the introject of her disapproving father, whose negative opinions she had internalized as a child.