Watching animals react to their reflections in a mirror makes everyone laugh. Some animals do not recognize themselves and attack the mirror when threatened by a stranger, while others recognize themselves and play. So, what does a mirror do for us humans? For any adult, it does not go beyond looking at how we look. It can be a fun play tool for children. What about babies? To what extent do they recognize and perceive themselves? What does the mirror mean to them?
Jacques Lacan discusses a phase that almost every human being experiences during the development process. This phase, called the mirror stage, occurs in babies between 6 and 18 months old and serves the formation of ego and identity. This discourse, which constitutes a crucial aspect of Lacanian psychoanalysis, shapes the subject’s ego and self-perception. It serves as a beginning for the subject to perceive their own integrity and existence as a subject.
Before…
The subject perceives himself/herself as an extension of the mother from birth to the mirror stage. For the subject, the mother (the primary caregiver can also be called; this person does not have to be the mother) and the baby are whole; they cannot be considered separately. Because the baby’s existing needs are met without the need for words. This shows that the subject is an extension in his/her perception and not a separate entity.
This wholeness also causes a fragmented body perception. The undeveloped motor skills of babies cause them to have little control over their own bodies. This body perception also gives the baby the feeling that the body is fragmented.
Before the mirror stage, the baby’s self-perception is focused on being a part of his/her mother and having little control over himself/herself.
In the Mirror Stage…
A real mirror is not actually necessary for the mirror stage. Any reflective surface where the baby can see its body and its mother is sufficient. The mirror stage is not the first moment when the baby sees their own reflection; this scene, which occurs between 6 and 18 months, is related to the baby’s perception. What is important is that the baby perceives this scene in the desired way.
One of the things perceived in this stage is the integrity and completeness of the baby’s body. There is no fragmented body as the baby perceives before, a completely flawless body greets the baby. This reflection moves as the baby moves, laughs when it laughs, cries when it cries.
Another thing perceived is that the mother is a separate subject from the baby. The baby can see that it is a completely flawless being separate from the mother thanks to the mirror stage. This moment can also be called jubilation. This is a moment full of joy and happiness.
However, the mirror stage is not only about the baby. At this stage, the concept of the ‘Other‘ is also learned. The mother (primary caregiver) is someone else and shows herself to the baby. ‘You are this’ he says, with his gaze and words. In fact, what shows itself to the baby here is the gaze of the mother (terminologically, the Other here). The baby sees himself completely and flawlessly through the eyes of the Other, and an image is shown to him by saying ‘You are this’. What the baby perceives here is that he is seen through the eyes of the Other and that he is a subject in this way.
This reflection that we see through the eyes of the Other is actually an illusion. It shows us completely flawless and perfect. However, the real subject is incomplete. However, in order to form the subject ego, the subject must adopt the illusion that he is complete and whole. This illusion is called the ideal-ego. While the Other shows us ourselves, he also conveys to us his expectations and thoughts towards us. He passes on his illusion of how and in what form we are to us as the ideal-ego. The subject has an image of his own existence thanks to this ideal-ego.
Extra: Ego-ideal is a different term. It can be thought of as Freud’s superego. It allows the subject to recognize the law and culture and aims to adapt to it. For example, being a good citizen, being a religious person, etc. are related to the ego-ideal. It may be in conflict with the ideal-ego.
The beginning of separation
One of the most important changes that the subject goes through is separation from the mother. The mirror stage is the beginning for this. It supports alienation and opens space for the subject for other steps. It is also an important milestone for the ego and identity structure.
In a nutshell
The mirror stage is a stage that is staged in children between 6-18 months of age in the development process. Thanks to this stage, the subject starts the development of ego and identity. It is also of great importance as it is the first place where the primary caregiver, the Other, is recognized.