Psychodynamic explanation of gender development

Id = seeking selfish pleasure, , super-ego = morality principle, ego = reality principle (balances the two)

During the psychosexual stages, the life force (libido) is focused on different body parts.

Gender development occurs during the third stage (phallic), when the child is between three and six years.

Freud described pre-phallic children as bisexual, in the sense that they are neither masculine nor feminine.

The libido is focused on his/her genitals.

The child’s gender identity is resolved during this stage either through the Oedipus complex (boys) or Electra complex (girls).

Children of both sexes identify (identification) with the same-sex parent as a means of resolving their respectives complexes.

The children then adopt the attitudes and behaviour of that parent (internalisation).

Oedipus complex

Boys develop incestous feelings towards thier mother.

They develop jealous and murderous hatred for their father.

The boys recognises that this father is more powerful and fears he might be castrated (castration anxiety).

To resolve the conflict, the boy gives up his love for his mother and begins to identify with his father (identification with the aggressor).

Electra complex

The concept came from Carl Jung, as Freud was much less clear on the processes in girls.

Girls experience penis…