Ambivalence in focus: Remembering the life and work of Else Frenkel-Brunswik

Ambivalence plays an important role in human psychological functioning, yet few theories incorporate ambivalence as a focal topic. In this light, Else Frenkel-Brunswik was pioneer, for in her short lifetime she inspired the world of personality psychology by centring her study on ambivalence. The fruits of understanding surface level thought and behaviour through a place deeper inside are clear in her work; Frenkel-Brunswik provides a window into the presence of opposites within the self as well as the corresponding potential individuals have to avoid them. Broadly speaking, bringing ambivalence back as core topic for psychology allows models from a diverse array of perspectives to more fully account for the complexity of human life.