anaclisis

/ˌænəˈklɪsɪs/

Definitions

1. noun

In psychoanalysis, a phenomenon where an infant’s emotional response to a separation from the mother is redirected to an inanimate object, such as a pacifier.

“The psychologist studied the case of a child who underwent anaclisis with her pacifier during times of separation from her mother.”

Synonyms

  • attachment
  • transference

Antonyms

  • abandonment
  • estrangement