Gender Development
The theme of unit 2 is explaining how children learn their gender. The psychodynamic approach uses the Oedipus Complex as its explanation.
According to Freud gender behaviour is learnt in the phallic stage. This is when the superego develops. The Oedipus complex is the explanation of gender development in boys and the Electra complex in girls.
In the Oedipus Complex, boys have a natural love for their mother. As the libido is focused on the genital area this love becomes sexual. The father is viewed by the boy as getting in the way because of the father’s relationship with the mother. This leads boys to feel aggression towards their father and love for the mother. All of this occurs at an unconscious level. Boys at this stage learn that their mother does not have a penis. This leads them to fear castration – which they believe their father might do this to them as punishment because of the boy’s feelings towards the mother. In order to resolve this complex the boy needs to resolve their hatred towards their father and to identify with him.
This means that they want to ‘become’ their father as this will allow him to become close to the mother and no longer fear his father. By doing this boys learn their gender as they take on the father’s beliefs and values, and doing as their father does. This also leads to the development of the superego.
The Electra Complex was not developed by Freud, but uses concepts similar. This was an explanation for what happens to girls during the phallic stage. The libido is also focused in the genital area and girls also have feelings for a parent – their father. Girls realise they do not have a penis and develop penis envy. This is not as strong as castration fear, and the feelings are not as strong as the Oedipus complex meaning that boys are seen to identify more strongly with their father than girls with their mother. As girls have no penis they feel less worthy than their father. She believes that by focusing on her father, he will help her get a penis or a substitute (suggested that this is a baby). Others suggest that girls seek male power. By becoming her mother the girl can have her father, so she identifies with her mother. This is also how the superego develops.
Evaluation of the psychodynamic explanation for gender development
Supporting evidence:
Freud’s case study of Little Hans supports this explanation because Han’s fear of horses represented his fear of his father and his castration fear.
By bringing these thoughts into the conscious he was able to successfully resolve the Oedipus complex.
However Han’s parents were supporters of Freud’s work. This means there may have been bias as they were looking for examples of Han’s behaviour that fitted into his theories.
Opposing evidence:
Freud’s theory is not testable or scientific, the theory is based on concepts such as the libido and unconscious that cannot be studied reliably.
Case studies are the main form of evidence, these are unique to an individual and may not be generalised HOWEVER case studies are data rich and could be considered valid because of this
Concepts in the psychodynamic approach are subjective, which mean they require interpretation. E.g. in dream analysis, symbols could be interpreted differently by different analysts, making it unreliable.
Freud worked with the middle class in Vienna, this means that the sample is biased and may not represent the whole population
Different explanations:
The learning approach (SLT and operant conditioning) explains that gender is learnt. This occurs through social learning theory, where children
learn their gender behaviour by imitating same sex role models e.g. girls copying their mum doing the housework. Reinforcement also helps explain how children develop their gender – girls may get praise (positive reinforcement) for playing with dolls, and are punished if they get dirty or are seen playing with cars.
The biological approach says that we are born male or female, that gender is fixed from birth. If we inherit a X chromosome from both parents, we are born female, if a Y is inherited from the father, then the child is born male.
Application:
Freud’s studies have wide application to therapy e.g. dream analysis, free association, slips of the tongue. They have been used as a way of treating mental disorders, and are considered a unique way of helping treat neuroses.
The theme of unit 2 is explaining how children learn their gender. The psychodynamic approach uses the Oedipus Complex as its explanation.
According to Freud gender behaviour is learnt in the phallic stage. This is when the superego develops. The Oedipus complex is the explanation of gender development in boys and the Electra complex in girls.
In the Oedipus Complex, boys have a natural love for their mother. As the libido is focused on the genital area this love becomes sexual. The father is viewed by the boy as getting in the way because of the father’s relationship with the mother. This leads boys to feel aggression towards their father and love for the mother. All of this occurs at an unconscious level. Boys at this stage learn that their mother does not have a penis. This leads them to fear castration – which they believe their father might do this to them as punishment because of the boy’s feelings towards the mother. In order to resolve this complex the boy needs to resolve their hatred towards their father and to identify with him.
This means that they want to ‘become’ their father as this will allow him to become close to the mother and no longer fear his father. By doing this boys learn their gender as they take on the father’s beliefs and values, and doing as their father does. This also leads to the development of the superego.
The Electra Complex was not developed by Freud, but uses concepts similar. This was an explanation for what happens to girls during the phallic stage. The libido is also focused in the genital area and girls also have feelings for a parent – their father. Girls realise they do not have a penis and develop penis envy. This is not as strong as castration fear, and the feelings are not as strong as the Oedipus complex meaning that boys are seen to identify more strongly with their father than girls with their mother. As girls have no penis they feel less worthy than their father. She believes that by focusing on her father, he will help her get a penis or a substitute (suggested that this is a baby). Others suggest that girls seek male power. By becoming her mother the girl can have her father, so she identifies with her mother. This is also how the superego develops.
Evaluation of the psychodynamic explanation for gender development
Supporting evidence:
Freud’s case study of Little Hans supports this explanation because Han’s fear of horses represented his fear of his father and his castration fear.
By bringing these thoughts into the conscious he was able to successfully resolve the Oedipus complex.
However Han’s parents were supporters of Freud’s work. This means there may have been bias as they were looking for examples of Han’s behaviour that fitted into his theories.
Opposing evidence:
Freud’s theory is not testable or scientific, the theory is based on concepts such as the libido and unconscious that cannot be studied reliably.
Case studies are the main form of evidence, these are unique to an individual and may not be generalised HOWEVER case studies are data rich and could be considered valid because of this
Concepts in the psychodynamic approach are subjective, which mean they require interpretation. E.g. in dream analysis, symbols could be interpreted differently by different analysts, making it unreliable.
Freud worked with the middle class in Vienna, this means that the sample is biased and may not represent the whole population
Different explanations:
The learning approach (SLT and operant conditioning) explains that gender is learnt. This occurs through social learning theory, where children
learn their gender behaviour by imitating same sex role models e.g. girls copying their mum doing the housework. Reinforcement also helps explain how children develop their gender – girls may get praise (positive reinforcement) for playing with dolls, and are punished if they get dirty or are seen playing with cars.
The biological approach says that we are born male or female, that gender is fixed from birth. If we inherit a X chromosome from both parents, we are born female, if a Y is inherited from the father, then the child is born male.
Application:
Freud’s studies have wide application to therapy e.g. dream analysis, free association, slips of the tongue. They have been used as a way of treating mental disorders, and are considered a unique way of helping treat neuroses.