The Road to Preoedipal Conflicts - Essay Example

The Road to Preoedipal Conflicts According to the psychoanalytic theory, preoedipal conflicts are related to theideas and emotions of an individual. Psychoanalytic studies involve the investigation of intellectual functions and mental processes of a human being. The investigation criterion is limited to the field of disorders in psychological studies. In general, the case study consists of people who suffer from borderline syndromes, schizoid pneumonia or narcissistic character disorders. This paper will address the preoedipal conflicts from a modern psychoanalytic approach. As stated above, the Oedipus complex encompasses the ideas and emotions which are kept by the mind in an unconscious state. Sigmund Freud; a renowned psychoanalyst, is the man behind the conception of the term Oedipus complex, which he refers to as a homosexual attraction of a girl towards her mother. Also, this happens through dynamic repression, which seems to concentrate majorly on a boy’s desire to kill his father and possess her mother in terms of sex (Meadow 89). Oedipus complex mainly presents itself in the phallic phase which is around age 3 to 6. This consists of five psychosexual stages of development which include the phallic, genital, anal, latent and oral, where; the libido pleasure is located in a different zone, in an infant’s body. In addition, one can note the lessons from Sigmund’s proposals about the complex, by clearly stating that the phenomenon is universal and phylogenetic to all human beings. This can be drawn from the example presented from the Greek mythologic character, Oedipus, who killed his father in the 5th century. His main aim was to murder his father (Laius) and posses her mother sexually. Fortunately, he achieves this unconscious act and even marries his mother; Jocasta. This psychoanalytic approach made by Sigmund enabled him to come up with the Oedipus evolution theory. In the theory, Sigmund explains that the preoedipal conflict is in the form of a chronology that comprises of six phases (Spotnitz and Meadow 95). The information is presented in the table below. Phase 1 1897-1909 Freud began using the Oedipus terminology after watching the Oedipus Rex play Phase 2 1909-1914 Freud proposed that it was a nuclear complex of all neuroses Phase 3 1914-1918 He studied the link between maternal and paternal incest. Phase 4 1919-1926 Later on, Freud concluded that the Oedipus complex focused on the bisexuality and identification of a human being. Phase 5 1926-1931 Freud applied the Oedipus theory in custom Phase 6 1931-1938 He investigated the Oedipus attitude in the feminine gender and the Electra complex Through Freud’s analysis, the preoedipal conflict is said to be prominent in the phallic stage. In the analysis of the study, there are other subtopics that feature in the Oedipus complex. They include psychological defense, denouement and psychosexual infantilism. Psychological defense is evidently portrayed by both sexes. This includes defense mechanisms, which are shown by both boys and girls in resolution of Id-Ego conflict (Paul 24). This happens in a series of methods. It begins from repression, emotional pulses, blocking of memories and other ideas that are presented by a conscious mind. However, all these actions are not liable in the resolution of the Id-Ego conflict. Secondly, it is portrayed in terms of the identification factor. This is evident especially when the child has a high self-esteem. These adaptations depend on the behavioral characteristics of the parents of the same sex. In normal circumstances, boys will lessen their castration apprehension, while the girls will identify with their mother. Denouement is described as a vague antagonism between a father and the son based on the psychosexual possession of the mother. This happens when the boy is overambitious, hostile or futile. The parents are required to identify with the boy in this phallic phase in order to resolve this issues that are presented by the Oedipus complex. This proves quite critical since, the identification of parents with their son will enable him internalize morality. This also makes the child respect communal rules, rather than acting in accordance with the rules in fear of getting punished by his parents. Lastly, the psychosexual infantilism factor is also a crucial issue in the phallic phase of a child. This factor describes the sexual identification that a child has with the parent. This relationship adjusts the parent’s and child’s dynamics. In most cases, the parents are viewed as objects of infantile libidinal energy (Meadow 86). Boys present their sexual desire to their mothers. This brings about emotional enmity and covetousness between the father and his son. In addition, the boy’s usually reflects murder to his father just like the case of Oedipus. On reality principles, the child considers the father’s strength in the possession of the mother which brings hesitation to the boy. Normally, this fear is considered irrational and subconscious. Later on, Freud discussed the preoedipal conflict from the female perspective. After, the proposal of the Electra complex by Carl Jung, Freud was able to modify the aspect of the psychoanalytic approach to the feminine gender. It was said that, during the phallic stage, the girl’s Electra complex is said to be her psychodynamic experience in the formation of an ego (Paul 34). The girls develop penis envy. These reactions are based on an anatomic fact that the girl claims no possession of the mother without a penis. The theory asserts that the girls may also redirect this desire to their father with a motive of bearing a child. Furthermore, the stage also includes transfer of the girl’s primary erogenous zone from the clitoris to the vagina (Spotnitz and Meadow 100). Therefore, from this analysis, it is crystal-clear that the girl’s negative Oedipus complex is more intense than that of a boy. Therefore, parental management of their children determines their development in terms of morality and decree of the Electra complex. Additionally, individuals can learn tactics of how to avoid these conflicts just like the tribe of Senoi Indians (Meadow 68). The Senoi community lives in the Malayan mountain range. They have a way of resolving their tension and many people claim that they do not involve themselves in wars and other interpersonal conflicts. Their children share with their parents all their tribulations, and, in return, their parents are able to explain to them how they are able to avoid such camouflaged thoughts (Meadow 72). In support of Freud’s works, other individuals have collaborated with him in to add up on the information. They include Carl Jung, Otto Rank, Melanie Klein, Wilfred Bion and Jacques Lacan. All these individual supported Freud’s content in relation to the preoedipal conflict. Research points out that the individuals concentrated on the Oedipal manifestations that were evident in the phallic stage of childhood. Considering the fact that most of these individuals are psychoanalysts, the information that they gave concerning the subject matter proved to be complex based on the different degrees of development. Although, the child-parent conflict is clear in the subject matter, individuals should propose strategies that will ensure that members of a family live in harmony despite the contents of the theory (Spotnitz and Meadow 123). In adolescents, underachievement is also portrayed as an Oedipal conflict which encompasses dependency and autonomy in the teenager. Most teenagers try to defend themselves from the preoedipal anxieties through regression strategies (Bliss 341). Furthermore, they also use narcissistic defense mechanisms that allow them to overcome their preoedipal fear of love loss through illusions of self-sufficiency (Spotnitz and Meadow 117). Analysis depicts that most teenagers avoid participating in class activities. This is a clear presentation of the pervasive attitude indifference towards the demands of education (Bliss 341). When Oedipal conflicts present themselves in intense forms, suspicion arises that the remnants of preoedipal aggression are the source of the amplification. Some of the common constellations comprise of the premature oedipalization of preoedipal conflicts, aggressiveness towards the Oedipal conflict, undue adulation of the heterosexual and homosexual love object in the negative Oedipal conflict, pregenital agendas and unrealistic quality of fantasia relations (Spotnitz and Meadow 105). An overall view of the preoedipal conflict study shows that, one side reflects on mastery while the other on defiance. The master side consists of the ability to wait, incest barrier and clear generational boundary, while the defiance side reflects on irreverence and cross-generation sex among other factors (Spotnitz 28). Other psychoanalysts define preoedipal development as the achievements and psychological tasks from birth to around age three. This creates a state of immense preoedipal levels in the preoedipal phase of development. In conclusion, the preoedipal development of the super ego pays much attention to the theoretical issues such as the ‘auditive sphere’ and shifting nature of ideal types (Paul 23). Therefore, the ego ideal and superego are normally treated as one incorporated system which comprises of components such as the cognitive, affective and behavioral components. More so, the preoedipal conflict development is closely associated with the boy child. Direct observational studies in infants have clarified most of the dynamic currents that are affecting the Oedipal constellation. They have also managed to come up with conditions that are likely to lead to either a positive or negative form of Oedipal attachment (Meadow 80). Works Cited Bliss, Susan. Conflict, Regression, and Narcissistic Defenses in the Underachieving Adolescent. United States: Smith College Press, 1992. Print. Meadow, Phyllis. The Royal Road to Preverbal Conflicts. Athens: Psychoanalytic Electronic Publishers, 1984. Print. Paul, Federn. Ego Psychology and the Psychoses. London: Maresfield Reprints, 1977. Print. Spotnitz, Hyman and Meadow, Phyllis. Dreams: The Royal Road to Preoedipal Conflicts. Treatment of the Narcissistic Neurosis. New York: The Manhattan Center for Advanced Psychoanalytic Studies Press, 1976. Print. Spotnitz, Hyman, Modern Psychoanalysis of the Schizophrenic Patient. New York: Grune and Stratton Press, 1969. Print. Read More