Personality Core Dynamics and Predisposition Towards Homosexuality / דינמיקת גרעין-האישיות ונטייה להומוסקסואליות

This study is an attempt to apply the "oralist tradition" of psychoanalysis in general and specifically the personality core dynamics of Shoham's new personality theory as presented in "The Myth of Tantalus" (S. Giora Shoham, The Myth of Tantalus, Queensland University Press, 1979). The summary of our findings is as follows: the passive type of homosexual is found to seek oral gratification much more excessively than the active type, to have an aversion to his body and a strong wish to be engulfed by his love object. He is found to be excessively promiscuous, just because he cannot attain this total fusion, blaming his successive partners for this inevitable frustration. His aversion to his own body, which is perceived as ugly, coupled with the impossibility to find a satisfying permanent partner, explain the finding that he is much more fearful of old age than the active type, though both types of homosexuals have no legalized family ties to fall back on in old age. The more active homosexual, on the other hand, is not found to have any excessive oral activity or to have a tendency to preen his body rather than to hate it. This is in line with his conception of his ego as good and beautiful, due to his latter oral fixation. He is found to seek fusion with his love object just as much as the passive type, but the fusion is of the opposite nature. He wishes to engulf the 'bad' object and incorporate it in his 'good me' rather than the reverse. The active type is also found to be promiscuous, but less excessively so, and rather for punitive reasons — the object (his passive partner) is 'bad' and requires punishment, and thus subjugation. Being more active and more satisfied with himself he is less fearful of old age. He believes in his ability to continue finding partners both because he takes the initiative and because his looks will not forsake him.