Splitting

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For the splitting of wood, see axe.

For 'splitting' in psychology, see dissociation.

In mathematics, splitting means partition. For manifolds, it means simpler parts - not necessarily disjoint.

In psychology, splitting is a layman's term for a cognitive error that is a hallmark of borderline personality disorder - the propensity to either idealize or completely devalue other people, to see them as either all good or all bad. [1] For example, borderline parents will frequently see one child as all good - or "split white" - and another as all bad - or "split black".

[edit] See also

• Heegaard splitting
• trigenus
• manifold decomposition
• handle decomposition.

Splitting is the result of a psychodynamic process in which people who satisfies or affirm one's emotional needs are considered entirely good while those who do not are considered entirely bad. The vacillating nature of the spitter's feelings towards, and evaluation of, others occurs as a function of the changing nature of others' behavior - feelings and evaluation of other changes moment-to-moment as their behavior, and satisfaction of one's emotional needs, changes moment-to-moment. Cognitive evaluation errors are but one manifestation of a more pervasive emotional process, which can be understood psychodynamically.