Final answer:
Ego psychology focuses on the ego's role in balancing the personality, object relations prioritizes early relationships in personality development, and self-psychology views the self as central, emphasizing the importance of empathy and interpersonal relationships.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory has been expanded upon by various schools of thought within the psychoanalytical tradition. In particular, ego psychology, object relations, and self-psychology have built on and diverged from Freud's original ideas to create distinct perspectives on personality and development.
Ego psychology focuses on the role of the ego in personality development and functioning. It emphasizes the ego's importance in maintaining a balance between the id, superego, and the demands of reality. Ego psychologists believe that the ego employs defense mechanisms to manage the pressures and conflicts among these aspects of the psyche.
Object relations theory shifts the focus from individual drives to relationships, particularly the relationships formed between children and their primary caregivers. It posits that through these relationships, individuals internalize and develop representations of self and others, which subsequently affect their interactions and psychological development throughout life.
Self-psychology, developed by Heinz Kohut, regards the self as the central organizing and motivating force in personality. It concentrates on the development of the self through the experience of empathy and the establishment of significant interpersonal relationships. Self-psychology seeks to understand pathologies of the self and uses the therapeutic relationship to repair disruptions in the development of the self.