the psychodynamic explanation of gender development

Question 1

what’re the 5 psychosexual stages in order

Answer 1

Oral (0-1)
Anal (1-3)
Phallic (3-6)
Latency (6-puberty)
Genital (puberty)

Question 2

when does gender development occur in the psychodynamic theory

Answer 2

the phallic stage, ages 3-6y.
prior to this, Freud described them as bi-sexual (meaning neither masculine nor feminine).
the phallic stage is where children experience the oedipus/electra complexes

Question 3

summarise the oedipus complex

Answer 3

• penis envy?
• castration anxiety
• incestuous thoughts towards the mother
• boy identities with his father in the end, gains gender identity

Question 4

summarise the electra complex

Answer 4

• penis envy
• incestuous feelings
• double resentment towards the mother (anger of castration + jealous of mothers closeness to father)
• Freud was much less clear in writings of the electra complex - never even mentioned the exact term

Question 5

what is the identification & internalisation aspect of the psychodynamic theory

Answer 5

• the outcome of both complexes is that both sexes identify with the same sex parent
• they adapt the attitudes and values/morals of the same sex parent
• children take on the same gender identity as the same sex parent (Internalisation, as Freud called it)
• by the end of phallic stage, males/females acquire a gender identity the same as their same-sex parent’s

Question 6

what’s one strength of the psychodynamic explanation of gender development

Answer 6

• Freud’s theory means that, for boys, ‘normal’ development needs being raised by at least one male parent.
• support comes from a study that rated the gender identity of 49 boys (3-11y).
• 75% of those judged ‘gender disturbed’ had no biological or substitute father living with them
• this supports that being raised with no father may have a bad impact on gender identity, agreeing with what Freud’s theory would predict

Question 7

what’re 3 limitations of the psychodynamic explanation of gender development

Answer 7

no difference in lesbian families
freud’s androcentric era
pseudoscientific theory

Question 8

how are lesbian families a limitation for the psychodynamic explanation for gender development

Answer 8

• Bos & Sandfort compared 63 lesbian parented children with 63 from ‘traditional’ families.
• there were no differences in psychological adjustment or gender identity
• contradicts Freud’s theory as it suggests that fathers aren’t necessary for gender identity development

Question 9

how is Freud’s androcentric era a limitation of the psychodynamic explanation of gender development

Answer 9

• Freud’s penis envy idea has been criticised as only reflecting the era he lived/worked in, a patriarchal society
• Horney argued that mens womb envy is more prominent
• challenges that female gender development was founded on a desire to want to be like a man (androcentric)

Question 10

how is the pseudoscientific theory a limitation of the psychodynamic explanation of gender development

Answer 10

• Freud is often criticised for its lack of scientific rigour in methods, and that their unconscious nature used for his account of gender development are untestable
• makes Freud’s theory pseudoscientific as his key ideas can’t be falsified through scientific testing
• Questions the validity of the theory as it isn’t based on sound scientific evidence