Part II    Psychodynamic Theories46
fei75766_ch02_019-071.indd 46  02/19/20 08:59 AM
Theonset ofgender awareness isanimportant partoftheOedipal complex.
Source: http://daycaredaze.blogspot.com/2005/12/talk-sex-with-mary.html
hedevelops some amount ofafeminine disposition. During theOedipal period, 
therefore, hisfeminine nature mayleadhimtodisplay affection toward his father 
andexpress hostility toward his mother, while atthesame timehismasculine ten-
dency disposes himtoward hostility forfather andlustformother. During this
ambivalent condition, known asthecomplete Oedipus complex, affection andhostil -
itycoexist because oneorbothfeelings maybeunconscious. Freud believed that
these feelings ofambivalence inaboyplayaroleintheevolution ofthecastration 
complex, which forboystakes theform ofcastration anxiety orthefearoflosing 
thepenis.
ToFreud (1905/1953b, 1917/1963, 1923/1961b), thecastration complex 
begins afterayoung boy(who hasassumed thatallother people, including girls, 
havegenitals likehisown) becomes aware oftheabsence ofapenis ingirls. This
awareness becomes thegreatest emotional shock ofhislife.After aperiod ofmental 
struggle andattempts atdenial, theyoung boyisforced toconclude thatthegirlhas
hadherpenis cutoff.Thisbelief maybereinforced byparental threats topunish the
boyforhissexual behaviors. Theboyisthenforced toconclude thatthelittlegirlhas
been punished byhaving herpenis removed because shemasturbated orbecause she
seduced hermother. Fortheboy,thethreat ofcastration nowbecomes adreaded 
possibility. Because thiscastration anxiety cannot longbetolerated, theboyrepresses 
hisimpulses toward sexual activity, including hisfantasies ofcarrying outaseduction 
ofhismother.
Prior tohissudden experience ofcastration anxiety, thelittleboymayhave
“seen” thegenital areaoflittlegirlsorhismother, butthissightdoesnotautomatically Final PDF to printer