The purpose of this paper is to study of the perversion theory by Masud Khan. Khan(1924-1988)was a member of the British Psycho analytical Association, a Winnicottian, and an object relations theorist. He evolved his own perversion theory based on the...
The purpose of this paper is to study of the perversion theory by Masud Khan. Khan(1924-1988)was a member of the British Psycho analytical Association, a Winnicottian, and an object relations theorist. He evolved his own perversion theory based on the views of Freud and Winnicott. The discussion about perversion which means to deviate from the normal sexual behavior, started with Freud. He examined perversion as the general characteristic of human sexuality. Khan emphasized that Freud's perversion theory implies the loose relationship between instinct and objects, and the pathology of ego in the theory of Freud. He also developed his own theory of perversion by applying Winnicott‘s theory. He analyzed the structure of the pervert's ego and tried to develop a psychoanalytic treatment for perversion. His result of clinical research and theory was published in『Hidden Selves』, 『Alienation in Perversions』. He received credit for contributing to psychoanalysis by them. In this context, in this paper through investigating Khan's theory the researcher tried to understand about the hypothesis about Freud's perversion theory and to explore how to apply Winnicott's theory in Khan’s perversion theory.
For this purpose, the first step is exploring the hypothesis of Freud's perversion theory, female sexuality, and fetishism. Then she explored Khan' theory in the view of Winnicott's conception of the False Self, Transitional Object and Acting out, Counter transference as the technique of analysis. Khan's theory was explored focusing on the case of "the role of infantile sexuality and early object-relations in female homosexuality" of 『Alienation in Perversions』and the fetish of mail homosexuality of "prison" in the 『Long Wait』.
Through the research, the following conclusions were reached. Freud examined perversion in the aspect of sexual object and sexual aim and then made a distinction normal and deviation. In early stages, Freud focused on instinct satisfaction, regression and fixation at a pre-Oedipal phase, but then later he gradually emphasized the aspects of the object in terms of instinct satisfaction and the pathology of ego.
Khan accepts the view of Freud in terms of female sexuality and fetishism, and furthermore he emphasized the role of the pathology of mother in perversion-formation. He considers that fetishism and female homosexuality are in relation to the failure of environment and the failure is reenacted in the sexual practice of the pervert. The pervert tries to restore and compensates the failure of the early development. In the early theory, Khan paid attention to the characteristical similarity between the schizoid character disorder and perversion, but then later he considered perversion as more of a false self than a separate disease. Therefore, the sexual practice of the pervert is understood as a kind of attempt that the false self personality tries to contact the reality and the problem of the false self including perversion is not only false defence but also the function that helps the patient to survive.
Khan considers that fetish object can be turned into transitional object in the analytic relationship. When the pervert's acting out is supported by analyst through the analytic relationship, sexual practice of the pervert can gain the meaning and function of the transitional object. However Khan doesn't recommend the acting out as therapeutic device. He thinks that only when acting out can be regulated by the analytic process, it can be a therapeutically advantageous process.
Khan sees that the analysts has the double burden due to the peculiar transference circumstance and anti-social tendency. Khan accepts the objective counter transference theory of Winnicott and he argues that the analyst must feel and deal with his own hatred and resentments in order to contact the hidden helplessness and feel the pain and confusion behind the patient's manic defence and exaggerated eroticism.
The perversion theory of Khan includes the psychoanalytic view and hypothesis of Freud and applies Winnicott's theory. Khan considers that the attempt of the treatment of the perversion reflects the change of the analytic technique in the psychoanalytic treatment that is dealing with the more severe condition than neurosis. In particular, it suggests that acting out and the objective counter transference have the important meaning. Khan investigates perversion in terms of the false self, and emphasized the self alienation in perversion.