Which term describes the pattern of viewing others as all good or all bad, leading to rapid shifts in opinions?

Which term describes the pattern of viewing others as all good or all bad, leading to rapid shifts in opinions?

• A. Narcissistic behaviour
• B. Splitting behaviour
• C. Dependent behaviour
• D. Schizoid behaviour

Answer: (B)

Splitting is a defense mechanism where a person cannot integrate positive and negative aspects of others, so they see people as all good or all bad. This leads to rapid shifts in opinion or mood toward someone, often swinging from idealization to devaluation after a disappointment. In practice, you might notice a patient who treats a caregiver as perfect one moment and then as cruel the next, based on a small event. Understanding this helps you respond with consistency, set clear boundaries, and avoid taking the shifts personally, while validating feelings and keeping the relationship as stable as possible. The other patterns involve different ways of relating: narcissistic behavior centers on self-importance and a need for admiration; dependent behavior involves overreliance on others; schizoid behavior is characterized by social detachment. Splitting best describes the all-good/all-bad view and the quick change in opinions.

Splitting is a defense mechanism where a person cannot integrate positive and negative aspects of others, so they see people as all good or all bad. This leads to rapid shifts in opinion or mood toward someone, often swinging from idealization to devaluation after a disappointment. In practice, you might notice a patient who treats a caregiver as perfect one moment and then as cruel the next, based on a small event. Understanding this helps you respond with consistency, set clear boundaries, and avoid taking the shifts personally, while validating feelings and keeping the relationship as stable as possible. The other patterns involve different ways of relating: narcissistic behavior centers on self-importance and a need for admiration; dependent behavior involves overreliance on others; schizoid behavior is characterized by social detachment. Splitting best describes the all-good/all-bad view and the quick change in opinions.