7. In Freud's phallic stage of development, which of the following complexes refers to the male child's unconscious sexual desire for his mother and unconscious wish to eliminate his father?
Answer: C
The Oedipus complex refers to the male child's unconscious sexual desire for his mother and unconscious wish to eliminate his father.
Freud's phallic stage of development is characterized by the emergence of the Oedipus complex, where a male child experiences an unconscious desire for his mother while simultaneously wishing to replace his father.
A) The Othello complex
The Othello complex is not a recognized term in Freud's theory of psychosexual development. It refers to jealousy and suspicion, particularly in romantic relationships, and does not pertain to the child's feelings towards parents, thus making it incorrect in this context.
B) The Electra complex
The Electra complex is the female counterpart to the Oedipus complex, where a female child experiences feelings of desire for her father and rivalry with her mother. This concept does not apply to the male child’s development and is therefore not the correct answer.
C) The Oedipus complex
The Oedipus complex accurately describes the male child's unconscious sexual desire for his mother and the desire to eliminate his father. This conflict is a central aspect of Freud's theory during the phallic stage of development.
D) The Ego complex
The Ego complex does not exist as a specific term in Freudian theory and refers generally to the ego's function rather than a specific conflict during development. As such, it does not address the dynamics of desire between the child and the parents.
Conclusion
The Oedipus complex is the definitive term that captures the essence of the male child's developmental conflict during Freud's phallic stage, involving unconscious desires for the mother and rivalry with the father. All other options fail to represent this specific psychological dynamic, either because they are unrelated or pertain to entirely different concepts.