You may have heard the terms splitting, projection, and projective identification, but what do they really mean? These interrelated psychoanalytic concepts offer valuable insight into how we unconsciously manage difficult emotions and shape our relationships, especially in the workplace. By using the metaphor of a mirror, with help from Snow White, we can explore these dynamics and see how they play out in real-world interactions.
Splitting
Splitting occurs when we unconsciously divide parts of ourselves or experiences into extremes - good or bad, right or wrong - while avoiding the complexity in between.
Imagine looking into a mirror, but it’s fractured. The reflection is incomplete, with large sections missing. Instead of seeing a whole version of yourself, only certain parts are visible — perhaps the confident, competent aspects you want to show the world, while more vulnerable, insecure sides are absent. This broken mirror reflects the unconscious process of splitting, where we reject or exclude certain parts of ourselves, often because we don’t want to face or integrate them.
In Snow White, the Evil Queen’s iconic line - "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" - illustrates the concept of splitting. The mirror reflects only the idealised version of herself, excluding anything that doesn’t align with her self-image. This distorted reflection mirrors the splitting process, where the Queen allows only certain parts of her identity to be visible, rejecting the more complex or vulnerable aspects of herself.
In the workplace, splitting might look like a manager who focuses solely on their successes while denying their failures or weaknesses. This refusal to acknowledge imperfections creates blind spots, preventing learning from mistakes. It can also pressure teams to present a perfect image, avoiding vulnerability or mistakes.
Projection
Projection occurs when we unconsciously displace our unwanted feelings, traits, or beliefs onto someone else.
Now, imagine that the missing pieces in the fractured mirror are filled not with your own reflection, but with someone else’s image. These "other" parts — traits, feelings, or emotions you don’t want to see in yourself — are projected onto someone else. As a result, this person begins to seem to embody those rejected qualities, distorting your perception of both them and yourself.
In Snow White, as the Queen ages, her fear of losing her beauty intensifies, and she projects these insecurities onto Snow White. She fixates on Snow White’s youth, perceiving it as a direct challenge to her own identity. Instead of confronting her own fears of aging, the Queen displaces these anxieties onto Snow White, turning her into a rival. This is projection in action: the Queen makes Snow White appear as the embodiment of what she rejects in herself - the traits of youth and beauty that she fears losing.
In the workplace, projection might occur when a leader, secretly insecure about their own abilities, accuses their team of incompetence. The leader projects their self-doubt onto others, viewing the team as less capable. This creates a culture of mistrust and defensiveness, where team members feel wrongly blamed for issues that stem from the leader’s own insecurities.
Projective Identification
Projective identification builds on projection, where the person onto whom traits are projected unconsciously internalises and acts out these traits.
Imagine that when you gaze into the mirror, your own image has vanished, replaced entirely by the person you’ve projected onto. Not only do they reflect the traits you’ve rejected, but they also begin to behave in ways that mirror these traits, as though they’ve absorbed the emotional weight you refuse to bear. This dynamic allows you to maintain control over the unwanted parts of yourself, keeping them at a distance while preventing them from being integrated into your self-awareness.
In Snow White, the Queen’s relationship with the mirror exemplifies projective identification. As she projects her fear of aging and losing her beauty, the mirror not only reflects the image she wants to see but starts to act out her projections. Over time, the mirror becomes more than a simple reflection; it internalizes the Queen’s insecurities and reflects back only the aspects that validate her self-image. The Queen’s need for external validation grows, as the mirror becomes a passive extension of her projected fears, allowing her to maintain control over her sense of identity. By keeping her vulnerabilities externalized in the mirror, the Queen avoids confronting the complexities of her inner self, while the mirror reinforces her distorted view of reality.
In the workplace, projective identification can occur when a manager projects their insecurities onto a team member by micromanaging their work. The team member may begin to internalize this insecurity, doubting their abilities or becoming dependent on the manager. This further justifies the manager’s controlling behavior, reinforcing the cycle. If the team member becomes aware of the projection, they can resist internalizing the insecurity, disrupting the cycle.
Working With These Dynamics
Splitting, projection, and projective identification are unconscious processes that can deeply influence how we interact with others. While they are natural parts of human communication, they often create unhelpful dynamics in the workplace. Recognizing and understanding these processes allows you to respond more thoughtfully, rather than reacting impulsively. Here are three steps that can help:
1. Recognise the Patterns:
When you notice strong emotional reactions, ask yourself, "Am I seeing the whole picture, or just a fragmented version of it?"
2. Own Your Feelings:
Before blaming others, reflect on whether the issue might be connected to something within you. Ask, "What part of this situation is about me?"
3. Seek Dialogue:
If you spot projective identification in action, gently name the dynamic. For example, "I feel some tension here, and I wonder if we’re both dealing with some unspoken concerns. Can we talk about it?"
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