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Exploring the Oedipus and Electra complexes, this content delves into a child's psychosexual development and the formation of gender identity. It discusses how these complexes, occurring during the phallic stage, involve a child's desire for the opposite-sex parent and rivalry with the same-sex parent. The resolution of these complexes is crucial for the development of the superego and the adoption of traditional gender roles. Critiques of Freud's theory highlight the need for a broader understanding of gender identity formation.
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The Oedipus complex is a psychoanalytic concept that describes a child's unconscious desire for the opposite-sex parent and rivalry with the same-sex parent during the phallic stage of psychosexual development
Named after Greek mythological character
The Oedipus complex is named after the Greek mythological character, Oedipus, who unknowingly fulfilled a prophecy by killing his father and marrying his mother
Unconscious sexual attraction to mother and rivalry with father
According to Freud, boys in the phallic stage experience an unconscious sexual attraction to their mothers and view their fathers as rivals, leading to castration anxiety and the desire to identify with the father
The resolution of the Oedipus complex involves the boy identifying with his father, which facilitates the development of the superego and solidifies a male gender identity
The Electra complex is a psychoanalytic concept that describes a girl's unconscious desire for her father and competition with her mother for his affection during the phallic stage of psychosexual development
Named by Carl Jung
The Electra complex is named after Carl Jung, who proposed that girls experience a similar dynamic to boys in the Oedipus complex, but with a focus on penis envy and resentment towards the mother
Penis envy and desire for a child
According to Jung, girls experience penis envy and desire for a child, leading to the resolution of the Electra complex through identification with the mother
While similar to the Oedipus complex, the Electra complex involves penis envy and identification with the mother, rather than castration anxiety and identification with the father
The Oedipus and Electra complexes are thought to be crucial for the development of gender identity and the establishment of the superego during the phallic stage of psychosexual development
The resolution of the Oedipus or Electra complex is believed to be essential for the adoption of traditional gender roles and identities
While Freud's theories emphasize the importance of traditional family structures, contemporary research has shown that children can develop healthy gender identities outside of this framework
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Phallic stage age range
Typically between ages three and six
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Oedipus complex dynamics
Boy's unconscious desire for mother, rivalry with father
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Electra complex originator
Named by Carl Jung
