psychodynamic explanation of gender development

Question 1

What was Freud’s theory of gender development?

Answer 1

-part of psychosexual stages theory
- personality development is driven by libido
- gender development happens at the phallic stage- age 3-5

Question 2

What is the Oedipus complex?

Answer 2

• boys develop a passionate desire for their mother.
• Want to possess their mother for themselves.
• See father as rival: jealousy.
• Wishes father dead.
• Afraid father will discover their desire for their mother and punish them by removing prize
  possession: castration anxiety.

Question 3

How is the Oedipus complex resolved?

Answer 3

• defence mechanism
• repression- push desire for mum and hostility for father to unconscious
• reduces tension between father and son so he identifies with his father

Question 4

What is the Electra complex?

Answer 4

• girls develop a passionate desire for their father.
• Resent mother as realise don’t have a penis, believe they were castrated and blame their mother for this.
• Long for a penis: penis envy.
• Discover can’t have a penis so substitute desire for a penis with desire for a baby.
• Want their father to provide them with a son so lust after father.

Question 5

How is the Electra complex resolved?

Answer 5

• girls identify with their mother but less motivated than boys so develop a weaker gender identity
• retain mothers love
• internalises mother’s role in hopes to attract father

Question 6

What happens to children in a single parent family?

Answer 6

• unable to resolve their conflicts
• boys grow up homosexual
• girls = promiscous