Psychodynamic Approach: Gender Development
Discuss the Psychodynamic explanations of gender development and refer to at least one case study/ evidence in your answer.
The psychodynamic approach assumes that development of gender identity is linked to the relationship between a parent and child. Psychologists believe that parent - child relationship forms a mould in which stays within a child throughout their whole life. The approach focuses on the presence of the unconscious mind. Freud's psychoanalytic theory is linked to the ideas surrounding a child’s sexual desires. Children pass through the stages of development and experience an unconscious conflict at each stage. In the first five years there is the oral stage, Anal stage and Phallic stage. The Phallic stage is the key stage. During this stage gender divisions occur which lead to children developing gender identity. This is where males develop masculine behaviour and females develop feminine behaviour. This occurs due to the resolution of the Oedipus and Electra complexes.
The Oedipus complex affects boys when their affection for their mother becomes sexual. Boys see the father as a rival who has the power to castrate them. The unconscious conflict is being torn between love for the mother and fear of the father. The resolved conflict is identifying with the father. The boy assumes a masculine identity and looks to the father as a role model. The Electra complex occurs when the girl becomes aware of a males penis and that she wants one (penis envy). The girl recognises the penis as a symbol of power. The unconscious conflict is the girl realises she is powerless and the mother is also. The girl then loathes mother for making her incomplete. The resolved conflict is converting penis envy into penis baby project. The girl returns to pre-Electra relationship with the mother. She identifies herself as a woman with her mother as a role model.
Evidence to support this theory is the case study of Little Hans. Hans was a child who at the age of
The psychodynamic approach assumes that development of gender identity is linked to the relationship between a parent and child. Psychologists believe that parent - child relationship forms a mould in which stays within a child throughout their whole life. The approach focuses on the presence of the unconscious mind. Freud's psychoanalytic theory is linked to the ideas surrounding a child’s sexual desires. Children pass through the stages of development and experience an unconscious conflict at each stage. In the first five years there is the oral stage, Anal stage and Phallic stage. The Phallic stage is the key stage. During this stage gender divisions occur which lead to children developing gender identity. This is where males develop masculine behaviour and females develop feminine behaviour. This occurs due to the resolution of the Oedipus and Electra complexes.
The Oedipus complex affects boys when their affection for their mother becomes sexual. Boys see the father as a rival who has the power to castrate them. The unconscious conflict is being torn between love for the mother and fear of the father. The resolved conflict is identifying with the father. The boy assumes a masculine identity and looks to the father as a role model. The Electra complex occurs when the girl becomes aware of a males penis and that she wants one (penis envy). The girl recognises the penis as a symbol of power. The unconscious conflict is the girl realises she is powerless and the mother is also. The girl then loathes mother for making her incomplete. The resolved conflict is converting penis envy into penis baby project. The girl returns to pre-Electra relationship with the mother. She identifies herself as a woman with her mother as a role model.
Evidence to support this theory is the case study of Little Hans. Hans was a child who at the age of