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(p. 211) Mirror-Role of Mother and Family in Child Development 

(p. 211) Mirror-Role of Mother and Family in Child Development
Chapter:
(p. 211) Mirror-Role of Mother and Family in Child Development
Author(s):

Donald W. Winnicott

DOI:
10.1093/med:psych/9780190271404.003.0038
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date: 20 January 2021

In this paper, Winnicott takes the subject of the mother’s face for the baby as the precursor of the mirror in the child’s emotional development. He explores the normal and pathological aspect of this idea, also referring to the work of Lacan on ‘Le Stade du Miroir’. Winnicott writes that, if all goes well, the baby gets a reflection of himself and his state by looking at the mother’s face, and if he does not, the baby withdraws from exploring himself in the mother. Clinical cases are described.

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