Gesture and Word

René Spitz’s Views on the Acquisition of Language

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59539/2175-2834-v25n1-621

Abstract

René Spitz (1887-1974), an Austro-Hungarian psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, developed a theory of ego formation that begins at birth and culminates in language acquisition. Unlike most language acquisition theories in psychoanalysis at the time (1950-1970), Spitz emphasized the role played by the body and favored an interdisciplinary approach. This article is a historical-conceptual study, whose objective is to analyze the process of language acquisition as described by Spitz and explain the mechanisms and concepts employed to formulate his theory. Key-Words: Language, Mother-child Relationship, Child Development, René Spitz, History of Psychoanalysis

Author Biographies

Michelle Vianna Goliath, UFJF

Doutoranda e Mestre na linha de História e Filosofia da Psicologia pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF). Psicóloga pela mesma instituição.

Richard Theisen Simanke, UFJF

Doutor em Filosofia pela Universidade de São Paulo. Docente do Departamento de Psicologia da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora e do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia da mesma instituição.

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Published

2023-12-19

How to Cite

Vianna Goliath, M., & Theisen Simanke, R. (2023). Gesture and Word: René Spitz’s Views on the Acquisition of Language. Human Nature - International Philosophy and Psychology Review, 25(1), 12–33. https://doi.org/10.59539/2175-2834-v25n1-621

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 1 (2023): Revista Natureza Humana

Section

Psicanálise