psychodynamic explanation Flashcards
identification definition
a desire to be associated with a particular person/group as they pass desirable characteristics
internalisation definition
when an individual adopts the attitudes and or behaviour of a desired person/group
what stage and age does gender development occur according to Freud and what were children before they reached this
in the phallic stage (3rd stage) between the ages of 3-6 - he believed children to be bisexual before this
what are the critical conflicts in this stage
oedipus and electra complex
describe the oedipus complex in relation to gender
boys develop an incestuous love for their mother and as a result a jealous, murderous hate for their father who they believe is preventing the relationship with their mother that they desire - once the boy realises the dad is more powerful he becomes anxious that they dad will realise his love for his mother and castrate him (castration anxiety)
how is the oedipus complex resolved
the boy represses his love for his mother and identifies with his father and wishes to be like him = internalises the fathers behaviours and attitudes = gender behaviour
describe the electra complex in relation to gender
the girls experience penis envy and an incestuous love for their father and therefore develop a double-resentement for their mother - first as she stands in the way of her relationship with her father and secondly as she blames her mother for not having a penis believing her mother castrated her at an early age
how is the electra complex resolved
over time, girls accept they will never develop a penis and so substitute their penis envy with the desire for a baby - therefore they identify with their mother and internalise her gender attitudes and behaviour
strength of psychodynamic explanation - research from Wiszewska and counterpoint
wiszewska et all 2007 asked females to rate attractiveness of men, they compared similarity between images found attractive and their fathers and assessed the quality of their relationships - found women who were treated well by their fathers the images were most similar = supports electra complex saying girls develop an incestuous love for their father and the feeling is repressed not destroyed
C = Malinowski found boys in trobriand islands showed signs of hostility to their maternal uncles who were the family disciplinarian = dont feel like a love rival just don’t like the discipline
strength of psychodynamic explanation - research by Rekers and Morey and counterpoint
support for role of oedipus complex - rekers and morey 1990 interviewed boys age 3-11 and rated their gender identity - 75% were deemed to be gender disturbed (not showing typical gender behaviour) didn’t have a father figure = the father is essential in developing typical gender behaviour as boys identify with them
C = research by Bos and Sandfort 2010 compared data from children from traditional families and those whose parents were lesbians and found their children felt less pressure to conform to gender stereotypes but no difference in gender identity = father not needed
limitation of psychodynamic approach
lacks scientific credibility - the oedipus/ electra complex and identification/internalisation are unobservable and can’t be measured = theory lacks falsifiability and can only be considered a pseudoscience
