Citation

Yohan T, Anne-Sophie D. Bull. Psychol. (Paris) 2011; 64(4): 347-357.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Universite de Paris. Groupe D Etudes de Psychologie)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The category of homicide suicides appeared in 1821 with the nosographic reform introduced by Esquirol in 1819. A hundred years later, new investigations brought to light the altruist motivations of the authors taking actions. The denomination 'altruistic motivation' has since been largely used in literature. But this new denomination appears as paradoxical compared to the monstrosity of these acts. Altruism, however, does not command the subjects of these homicides but a logic that this article is going to show thanks to the analysis of two clinical cases; one case was an altruistic infanticide and the other was an altruistic infanticide attempt. These cases show that the logic governing these acts cannot be viewed without accounting for the subjective position of their author who has to face an impossible separation. It means a total absence of otherness for these subjects. These acts of homicides should probably be more appropriately qualified as altruistic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Keywords

Motivation; Homicide; homicide; Suicide; Altruism; infanticide; suicides; Infanticide; altruistic motivation