Psychodynamic Explanations

Question 1

Psychodynamic Theory & Gender:

Answer 1

• Internalisation: accepting others’ beliefs because they resonate with you
• Identification: complying to gain access to a group, then accepting takes place over time
• Used to explain I-G/O-G preferences, rejection of gender inappropriate behaviour, and the persistence of sex role stereotypes

Question 2

The Oedipus Complex

Answer 2

Freud (1905): phallic stage
1. Boy becomes aware of sexuality & desires mother’s full attention - sees father as competition
2. Boy wished father was dead - fears his revenge if he found out about his feelings for mother - has repressed castration anxiety
3. Boy imitates Father’s behaviours to impress mother - identification with male behaviours
4. Conflict resolved when boy no longer sees father as competition - superego develops

Question 3

The Electra Complex

Answer 3

Jung (1913): adressed criticisms of gender bias in Freud’s theories - Freud added ‘feminine oedipus attitude’
1. Girls initially attracted to mother, but confused on discovering they have no penis
2. Girl resents mother (penis envy) - assumes mother felt inadequate and castrated her
3. Girl feels sexual attraction to father
4. Girl fails to identify with father due to gender differences
5. Penis envy replace by desire for a baby - identifies with mother’s role

Question 4

Healthy Psyche

Answer 4

• The psyche is dynamic - drives constantly competing
• Healthy psyche = all drives can express themselves in productive ways, at appropriate times
• Successful identification satisfies id with love and supergo with acceptance/utility

Question 5

Controversy in Oedipus Complex

Answer 5

• Suggests all healthy men have overcome their repressed anxiety - those without father figure will never attain this
• Boy may then become promiscuous - internalised belief that women are unattainable
• Boy may also internalise female behaviours and become homosexual

Question 6

Controversy in Electra Complex

Answer 6

• Implies girls are failed/lesser boys
• Ignores any differences other than how they compensate for this
• Implies girls (and lone-mother boys) identify with their mother as a last resort - nobody would choose femininity
• Suggests feminine behaviours were inferior/showed weakness - this is why women are more anxious/amoral