Language:
English
Year of publication:
1994
Titel der Quelle:
Psychoanalytic Review
Angaben zur Quelle:
81,3 (1994) 537-563
Keywords:
Bettelheim, Bruno
;
Nazi concentration camps
Abstract:
A critical examination of Bettelheim's interpretation of inmates' behavior in the Nazi concentration camps, with frequent references to the critique expressed by other psychoanalysts, especially Terrence Des Pres. Argues that Bettelheim's description of inmate behavior neglected the social psychological perspective. Contrary to his theory of inmates' "regression" to an infantile level of emotional functioning, their seemingly "child-like" compliance to Nazi demands can be viewed as an ego-driven act of accommodation in order to survive. Concludes that much of Bettelheim's approach has been criticized by scholars, remarking, however, that he did make an important contribution to understanding the potential dangers of the "mass society" or the "concentration camp society" in undermining the individual's autonomy.
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