Question

Question about Freud’s Oedipus and Electra Complex

Background Research:

Hence, women and men who are fixated in the Electra and Oedipal stages of their psychosexual developmentmight be considered "father-fixated" and "mother-fixated" as revealed when the mate (sexual partner) resembles the father or the mother.

If sexual competition for the opposite-sex parent is unresolved, a phallic-stage fixation might arise, leading a girl to become a woman who continually strives to dominate men (viz. penis envy), either as an unusually seductive woman (high self-esteem) or as an unusually submissive woman (low self-esteem). In a boy, a phallic-stage fixation might lead him to become a vain, over-ambitious man. Therefore, the satisfactory parental handling and resolution of the Electra complex are most important in developing the infantile super-ego, because, by identifying with a parent, the girl internalizes morality; thereby, she chooses to comply with societal rules, rather than being reflexively compelled to comply, for fear of punishment.

Question:

18. Freud mentions the severity of correct childrearing and the negative affects the lack of may have. How do you think one might resolve phallic-stage fixation in adult life if previous competition of the opposite-sex parent was left unresolved?

Answer 1

In order to resolve the ohalluc stage fixation during adult life, an individual must develop his/her infantile ego. This can be allowed to occur in the therapeutic setting, through the process of transference. The individual can be encouraged to regress back to the phallic stage and address conflicts, with the analyst as the perceived figure of authority. Satisfactory parental handling is critical for the resolution of the Oedipus complex and the Electra complex because, by identifying with a parent, the child internalizes standards of morality. This forms the basis for him/her to comply with societal rules, rather than having to comply reflexively, from fear of punishment.