psychodynamic approach

Question 1

when is gender developed? what is the child’s libido focused on?

Answer 1

during the phallic stage aged 3-6
focused on their genitals

Question 2

how is gender identity resolved?

Answer 2

through the oedipus or electra complex

Question 3

steps of the oedipus complex

Answer 3

1. boys sexually desire their mothers
2. see father as rival - suffer from castration anxiety
3. boy gets over this and begins to identify with father and in doing so internalize their fathers gender identity and takes this as their own identity

Question 4

who is evidence support for the oedipus complex?

Answer 4

little hans

Question 5

steps of the electra complex

Answer 5

1. girl is attracted to mother but this ends when she finds out her mother does not have a penis
2. girl blames her mother for not giving her a penis envy - wants to be a man
3. attraction is then transferred to the father
4. complex resolved when girl converts penis envy into wishing to have a baby - in doing so she identifies with her mother; internalization happens, where she can adopt her gender behaviors.

Question 6

what can frustration and overindulgence within stages cause?

Answer 6

can result in fixation and this is the reason for any amoral behavior

Question 7

what happens if fixation occurs in the genital stage?

Answer 7

causes homosexuality or inability to show love etc.

Question 8

problems with psychodynamic approach

Answer 8

+ evidence support
- gender bias - all women want to be men
- individual differences - may not grow up with both parents, also same sex families
- deterministic - unresolved leads to homosexuality
- not falsifiable - cant be proven wrong
- reductionist
- freud didn’t officially propose the electra complex, carl jung did - more evidence of gender bias