1. Today we will… Recall the assumptions of the psychodynamic approach
Understand how psychodynamic psychology understands the development of gender
Discuss evidence for the psychodynamic view
psychlotron.org.uk

2. How does a psychodynamic psychologist explain experience and behaviour?
psychlotron.org.uk

3. Psychodynamic concepts
The psyche Id
Ego
Superego
The unconscious mind
Defence mechanisms
psychlotron.org.uk

4. Which developmental stages does the child go through?
What is the main source of pleasure at each stage?
What are the important influences at each stage?
How do the stages relate to the different parts of the psyche?
psychlotron.org.uk

5. Psychosexual stages Oral Anal Phallic Latent Genital
Breast feeding; weaning onto solids
EGO develops
Withholding or expelling faeces; potty training
Masturbation; Oedipus/Elektra complex
SUPEREGO develops
Little or no sexual motivation present
psychlotron.org.uk
Sexual intercourse

6. What happens during the Oedipus/Elektra complexes?
psychlotron.org.uk

7. Gender development Oedipus complex – boys Elektra complex – girls
Desire for mother
Frustration – hostility towards father
Castration anxiety
Elektra complex – girls
Desire for father
Frustration – hostility towards mother
Penis envy
psychlotron.org.uk

8. Gender development Identification with same sex parent
‘I want to be (like) you’
Internalisation of same sex parent
A representation of the father/mother in incorporated into the psyche
Ideals to aspire to
Moral rules
Gender identity
psychlotron.org.uk

9. Evidence
What does the Freudian view predict about the children of single parents?
What does it predict about the children of gay parents?
What problems are there with the clinical/case study evidence cited in support of Freud?
psychlotron.org.uk