A Case of Multiple Personality

Thigpen and Cleckley (1954)

Eve White
Concerned mother
Failed Marriage
Quiet and Reserved

Eve Black
Scornful
Mocking
Denies any relationship with daughter
hedonistic

Either one personality or the other at any one time.

Split personality first made apparent through letter.
This was abruptly terminated by a paragraph, seemingly in a child's hand.

Both personalities were put through a series of tests.
Miss Black was less anxious than Mrs. White.

Mrs. White IQ of 110
Miss Black IQ of 104

Poor recall of digits for both personalities. This is strange, as she once worked as a telephone operator.

Rorschach test

Miss Black -
healthier, but with a hysterical tendency.
Mrs. White -
anxiety,
obsessive-compulsive traits.
Rigidity
Inability to deal with hostility

Personality

The two personalities represented two stages in the patient's life.
Repression in Mrs. White - her married life
Regression in Miss Black - her life before marriage

Mrs. White
Poor relationship with mother.
Miss Black
Can discharge hostility towards mother

Sibling Rivalry

Miss Black - jealous of love devoted to twin sisters (not true of Mrs. White).
Left school early - gave money for sister’s overcoats denying herself a wristwatch.
Money was spent on wristwatches instead.

Miss Black bought two luxurious coats.
Husband had row and took them back to the store.

Distant relative said that the patient had been married (or living with somebody else) before.
Eve White and Eve Black both denied this, but later Miss Black admitted it.
Miss Black did not enjoy having sex with this man and was beaten by him.
Miss Black says Mrs. White suffered the blows.

Patient started to get better, but then relapsed into blackouts again.

Then Jane emerged.
Mature, vivid, boldly capable and interesting.

Electroencephalogram (EEG) measurements taken.
Eve Black 12½ cycles per sec (borderline normal/slightly fast)
Eve White and Jane 11 cycles per sec

Jane is a good person and comes out through Eve White.
At time of writing Eve Black was still making appearances.

Further reading

Extract of Chapter 4 of Victims of Memory by Mark Pendergrast

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