Developmental Psychology

Achieve Test Prep: Developmental Psychology

Successful resolution of these complexes occurs differently for boys and girls. Part of the process for male children is experiencing castration anxiety. During this time period, they believe that if their desires for their mother are discovered, their father will retaliate and castrate them. Part of the resolution process for female children is experiencing penis envy . During this part of the process, female children realize they do not have a penis, which causes anxiety. Eventually, in most female children, their desire shifts from their father to socially acceptable men. Thus, these complexes are resolved. Evaluation of Freud’s Theories : Freud established these notions of the Oedipus and Electra complexes without a significant background in Greek literature or Greek mythology. It’s important to note that most Greek plays come from Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion. Though difficult to understand in today’s culture, Freud was from a different time with differing views on sexuality and sexual attraction. When studying his viewpoints, a cultural and historical lens is required to fully understand Freud’s theories and the intricacies of the complexes. Many of Freud’s theories have been accepted and expanded upon. However, many of his ideals have been rejected and criticized. Notably, his notions of psychosexual development have been widely rejected. Reasons for rejection range from religious differences, lack of sufficient evidence, incomplete studies, and faulty data. Despite his many criticisms and flaws, Freud’s work has been instrumental in providing a springboard for future work in personality, adolescent development, and attachment theory. Two of the most notable people who have based their research on Freud’s work are: Karen Horney and Carl Jung. Karen Horney accepted the theory of conflict between parents and a child, but attributed it to parental hostility and intimidation. Carl Jung accepted the notion that people have a conscious mind and a personal unconscious mind, and proposed the notion of a collective unconscious. Jung believed the collective unconscious was present at birth and represented the collective experience of previous generations. Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development: Erik Erikson was another contributor to the psychoanalytical branch of psychology. According to Erikson, development occurred as a series of conflicts, which needed to be resolved at each stage of life. Unlike Freud, Erikson did not focus on sexuality, but on emotions. Also, unlike Freud, Erikson did not set hard age limits on the life stages of adulthood.

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