Projection as an etiological factor in “motiveless” delinquency

Summary

The less mature the patient's ego status, the less developed is his relationship ability and the more easily can he maintain a perception based on his own projection. At the same time, because of their limited ego strengths these are the same patients more apt to be disorganized by lesser stresses. Where projection is a prominent defense pattern, in the psychotic and markedly marcissistic personality disorders, outwardly motiveless crimes may occur where in reality the patient is reacting to his own projection. Such crimes are not based on reactions to a reality based environment but are activated by totally self-centered perceptions in the patient.