Nachträglichkeit (translated as deferred action, afterwardness, or après-coup in French) is a psychoanalytic concept introduced by Sigmund Freud. It describes how past experiences or events can be reinterpreted and acquire new meaning in light of later events or developments. The term highlights the dynamic, non-linear nature of memory and meaning in the psyche.
Key Features of Nachträglichkeit:
1. Temporal Reordering of Meaning:
An event or experience that initially seemed insignificant can become deeply meaningful or traumatic when revisited and reinterpreted later in life. This reinterpretation often occurs when a later event resonates with or sheds new light on the earlier one.
2. Interaction Between Past and Present:
Past and present are not static in the psyche; they interact dynamically. The past is not “fixed” but is continuously re-constructed in light of current emotions, desires, and knowledge.
3. The Role of Memory and Repression:
In the context of trauma, an initial experience may not be fully understood or registered emotionally at the time it occurs. It may only be after a second, related event that the earlier memory resurfaces, potentially causing distress or being recognized as traumatic.
4. Example from Freud:
Freud discussed Nachträglichkeit in his case studies, particularly in the Project for a Scientific Psychology (1895). He described how a child’s seemingly neutral early memory could later become traumatic when reinterpreted during puberty, as the child gains a new understanding of sexuality.
An Example:
Imagine a child overhears an adult conversation about something sexual but does not understand its meaning. Years later, during adolescence, when the child develops a deeper understanding of sexuality, the memory of that earlier event might resurface with a new, unsettling significance. This is nachträglichkeit in action—the past is reinterpreted based on later developments.
Implications:
1. Psychoanalytic Therapy:
The concept of Nachträglichkeit underscores the importance of revisiting and reinterpreting past events during psychoanalysis. It suggests that understanding a person’s psychological state requires exploring how their past has been reshaped by their present.
2. Trauma and Memory:
Nachträglichkeit provides a framework for understanding why certain traumas might not immediately manifest but emerge later in life as the individual gains new perspectives.
In essence, Nachträglichkeit emphasizes the dynamic and evolving nature of memory and meaning, where the past is not just a static repository of events but a constantly reinterpreted narrative shaped by the present.
