Psychodynamic explanation of gender development, Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, Oedipus complex; Electra complex; identification and internalisation.

how does Freud's psychoanalytic theory explain gender development?

-suggests gendered behaviour is due to unconscious thought processes

-it is a result of the resolution of either the oedipus or electra complex in the phallic stage

when do children go through the phallic stage?

around age 5

describe the process of the oedipus complex

-a boys first sexual desire is directed towards their mother (opposite sex parent)

-the father is therefore percieved as a threat, and the boy develops castration anxiety as they are scared the father will find out and punish him for his desires

-the boy decides to make the father an ally by identifying with him and imitating his behaviour

-this reduces castration anxiety and takes focus away from desiring the mother, resolving the conflict

where does identification and internalisation occur within the oedipus complex?

-the boy identifies with his rival (father) and gives up desire for mother

-he adopts his father attitudes and values, and internalises them to develop his own male gender identity

what did Freud suggest would happen if the oedipus complex is not resolved?

the boy will become confused about their sexual identity and become homosexual

who suggests the electra complex?

Jung 1913

describe the process of the electra complex

-girls first sexual desire is directed towards their father, and she feels she is in competition with her mother for their father's love and attention

-the girl thinks she doesnt have a penis because she was castrated, blames mother as she doesnt have one either= penis envy

-eventually girl identifies with mother and realises she cant compete with her, so takes on female identity

-replace penis envy with desire to have a baby (penis baby-making project

why does the girl have penis envy?

because it symbolises male power, and therefore the father has what she wants

where does identification and internalisation occur within the electra complex?

-she identifies with mother and represses feelings for father because she is scared of losing her mothers love

-therefore internalises mothers attitudes and values to develop her female identity

in summary therefore, why do mae and female children imitate their same sex parent?

-they ultimately want to be accepted by the same-sex parent and not seen as a threat

-do this by imitating them and internalising their same-sex parents gender identity

-they have therefore resolved the complex, and emerge from the phallic stage with behaviours and attitudes of same-sex parent

RESEARCH STRENGTH: which case study provides support for psychodynamic explanations?

Little Hans- Freud

-5 year old scared of horses with black around mouths, which freud interpreted as a symbol for fear of his father and of castration by father

-also had dreams of a plumber replacing his widdler with a bigger one, and fathering his mothers children- him becoming his father

-supports oedipus complex as fear of father links with desires for mother and castration anxiety

-his dreams show how he identified and internalised his father's identity through dreams

RESEARCH LIMITATION: what are 3 methodological issues with the little hans case study?

-is an unusual situation, so is unlikely to be generalisable as it does represent the populations lived experiences

-lack of control over confounding variables- fear may be from watching one die

-data is qualitative and secondary- subjective, and correspondance was through han's father who was a fan of Freuds, so info is likely to be selective to fit theory

RESEARCH LIMITATION: which evidence contradicts the need for a father figure for gender development?

Stevenson and Black 1998

-conducted a meta-analysis of 67 studies on father absent families

-found boys without father figures actually showed more stereotypically masculine behaviours than those with fathers

-suggests freuds theory a male father figure is needed for typical gender identity is invalid

-also highlights issue of social sensitivity in research, as whilst the need for a father figure is invalid, freuds theory is still used to criticise single mothers and same-sex parents

LIMITATION: how does the theory's unfalsifiability weaken it?

-the complexes are unconcious processes so cant be directly measured or tested

-conflicts are also repressed at the end of each stage, so info about them cant be retrieved

-means theory is unscientific, with little evidence to support- hard to be valid

LIMITATION: why may freuds theory lack temporal validity?

-was developed at a time families were nuclear, but there is now a much wider variety in structure

-men were also seen as dominant and women inferior which is less true today

^discredits part of the electra complex, which is much less developed because of this anyway

STRENGTH: how does Freud's theory hold some face validity?

-people with small children may be able to see parts of the theory in play

-matches anecdotal experience of patterns of a child being close with opposite sex parent 'mummys boy' and 'daddy's girl', which the child will grow out of when they age

-supports idea of desiring opposite sex, then identifiying with same-sex and ceasing this desire