Psychodynamic approach - AO1 Flashcards
1
Q
What happens before the phallic stage?
A
They have no understanding of “male” and “female” so they don’t characterise themselves or others in that way
They have no concept of gender identity
2
Q
What is the phallic stage?
A
- Ages 3-6: Gender development occurs
- Oedipus and Electra complex occurs here
3
Q
What is the Oedipus complex?
A
- Harbour a jealous hatred for father who stands in way of boy possessing his mother
- Boy recognises that his father is more powerful
- Fears he will be castrated if he is found out for his feeling - leads to castration anxiety
- To resolve the conflict the boy gives up his love for his mother and begins to identify with his father
4
Q
What is the Electra complex?
A
- Girls experience penis envy and they are in competition for their father’s love
- Girls believe they are castrated by their mother and mother is a love rival
- Jung suggested girls came to accept they will have no penis and substitute it with the desire to have children - identify with mother
5
Q
What is internalisation?
A
Children taking on board the gender identity of same-sex parent
6
Q
What is the Little Hans study?
A
He used this case to illustrate the concept of the oedipus complex
- Fear of horse which stemmed from an incident when he had saw a horse collapse and die on the street
- His fear represented his fear of being castrated
- He transferred his fear of his father onto horses via the unconscious defense mechanism of development
