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Articles

Berne’s Theory of Cathexis and Its Links to Modern Neuroscience

Pages 48-58
Published online: 28 Dec 2017
 
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Eric Berne’s energy theory describes free cathexis and unbound cathexis as two forms of psychic energy. The authors suggest possible links between Berne’s theory of cathexis and recent models of brain functioning. They propose that neural systems involved in mental processes associated with voluntary attention may be connected to free cathexis. The default system, which is activated during a resting state when attention is not required for a specific task but is free to wander, is proposed as the neural substrate of unbound energy. The authors explore this hypothesis and consider evidence of default system involvement in there-and-then processing, self-projection, and spontaneous attention.

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Marco Sambin

Author Biographies
Irene Messina, PhD, is a postdoc at Padua University and is completing her transactional analysis training at the Centro Psicologia Dinamica in Padua, Italy. She works as a researcher in the field of integration of clinical psychology and neuroscience. She can be reached at LIRIPAC, via Belzoni 80, Padua, Italy; email: .
Marco Sambin, Certified Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy), is a full professor of theoretical models in clinical psychology at Padua University and the director of the Centro Psicologia Dinamica at Padua University, Padua, Italy. He can be reached at CPD-Centro Psicologia Dinamica Integrata, via Camillo Manfroni 6, Padua, Italy; email: .