Margaret Mahler is best known for her work on which developmental concept?

• A. Object permanence
• B. Separation-individuation
• C. Operant conditioning
• D. Moral development

Answer: (B)

Margaret Mahler is best known for separation-individuation, the process by which an infant moves from a close, fused relationship with the caregiver toward a developing sense of self as distinct and autonomous. Her work maps how early interactions with the mother help the child differentiate self from other, progressively shifting from near dependence to independent exploration. This journey unfolds through stages that describe how the infant learns to tolerate separations, form an internal sense of object relations, and build a stable self-concept within relationships. In contrast, object permanence (knowing objects continue to exist when not seen) comes from Piaget, operant conditioning involves learning through reinforcement from Skinner, and moral development concerns reasoning about right and wrong from Kohlberg. Mahler’s focus is specifically on how separation from the caregiver and the emergence of individuality unfold in the first years of life.