Which psychoanalytic term describes a girl's sense of competition with her mother for her father's affections?

Which psychoanalytic term describes a girl's sense of competition with her mother for her father's affections?

• A. Electra Complex
• B. Oedipus Complex
• C. Penelope Complex
• D. Elective Complex

Answer: (A)

Electra complex describes a girl's sense of competition with her mother for her father's affections. In psychosexual theory, during the phallic stage, a child becomes bonded to the opposite-sex parent and experiences rivalry with the same-sex parent. For girls, this can manifest as a desire for the father and jealousy toward the mother who receives his attention. The usual resolution comes when the girl identifies with the mother, adopting her gender role and integrating the family dynamics into her developing sense of self. This term is the female counterpart to the Oedipus complex, which covers boys. Terms like Penelope Complex or Elective Complex are not standard psychoanalytic concepts.

Electra complex describes a girl's sense of competition with her mother for her father's affections. In psychosexual theory, during the phallic stage, a child becomes bonded to the opposite-sex parent and experiences rivalry with the same-sex parent. For girls, this can manifest as a desire for the father and jealousy toward the mother who receives his attention. The usual resolution comes when the girl identifies with the mother, adopting her gender role and integrating the family dynamics into her developing sense of self. This term is the female counterpart to the Oedipus complex, which covers boys. Terms like Penelope Complex or Elective Complex are not standard psychoanalytic concepts.