primitive idealization
- noun
- /ˈprɪmɪtɪv ˌaɪdiəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/
- Specialized
:
idealización primitiva
- In therapy, she began to recognize her tendency toward primitive idealization of authority figures.
Examples
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The patient's primitive idealization made it difficult for him to acknowledge any flaws in his parents.
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Her primitive idealization of the celebrity made her ignore his flaws.
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Borderline personality disorders often involve defenses such as splitting and primitive idealization.
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Many people engage in primitive idealization during their first romantic relationships.
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In therapy, she began to recognize her tendency toward primitive idealization of authority figures.
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The patient's primitive idealization made it difficult for him to acknowledge any flaws in his parents.
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Many people engage in primitive idealization during their first romantic relationships.
Synonyms
2
7.0
Showing something as perfect or much better than it is
How Idealized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward adjectival modification: 'primitive' (simple/early/immature) + 'idealization' (seeing someone as ideal), so its meaning as an early or immature form of idealizing someone is directly compositional. This adjective+noun pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words can reasonably infer the intended sense.
Etymology
Primitive idealization paints a picture of a very simple way of seeing someone as perfect: primitive means 'basic' and idealization is treating someone as an 'ideal'. Imagine a child putting a parent on a high pedestal and only seeing the good parts; that's why the term means 'seeing someone as flawless' to protect yourself from difficult feelings.