Oedipal complex

Oedipal complex is a term coined by Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, to describe a child's feelings of desire for his or her opposite-sex parent and jealousy and rivalry with his or her same-sex parent. The term derives from the Greek myth of Oedipus, who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother, and it is a central theme in Freud's theory of psychosexual development.

Overview

The Oedipal complex occurs during the Phallic stage of psychosexual development, between the ages of three and five. Freud believed that during this stage, a child's pleasure-seeking energies focus on the genitals and they begin to develop sexual desire for their opposite-sex parent. For boys, this is known as the Oedipus complex, and for girls, it is known as the Electra complex.

Oedipus Complex in Boys

In boys, the Oedipus complex arises because the boy develops unconscious sexual desires for his mother. He sees his father as a rival for his mother's affections and develops a fear that his father will castrate him, a fear Freud termed castration anxiety. Eventually, the boy identifies with his father in an attempt to resolve this conflict, a process Freud called identification.

Electra Complex in Girls

The female counterpart to the Oedipus complex is the Electra complex. Freud's colleague, Carl Jung, coined this term, although Freud himself did not use it. According to this theory, a girl develops penis envy and begins to resent her mother for not providing a penis. She then transfers her affections to her father, which leads to rivalry with her mother.

Criticism and Controversy

The Oedipal complex has been widely criticized and is not universally accepted among psychologists today. Critics argue that Freud's theories are based on his own sexual fantasies and are not supported by empirical evidence. Others argue that the Oedipal complex is a product of Freud's own culture and time and does not apply to other cultures or times.

See Also

• Psychosexual development
• Sigmund Freud
• Psychoanalysis
• Electra complex
• Castration anxiety
• Identification (psychology)