Electra complex
1
9.9
- noun
- /ɪˈlɛktrə ˈkɒmplɛks/
- NSFW
:
complejo de Electra
- Many psychologists argue that the Electra complex can influence a daughter's perception of male partners.
Examples
-
Freudians might perhaps find a suggestion of an Electra complex on the daughter's part in this scene, but Hemon was clearly stressing here the sublimation of Maria's desire for her absent lover into a mystical experience.
Academic text (1996) -
In her therapy session, she began to explore her Electra complex and its effect on her relationships.
-
During the lecture, the professor explained the Electra complex as a significant aspect of female psychological development.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A child's strong sexual feelings for a parent of the opposite sex and anger toward the same-sex parent
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is an eponymous, technical psychoanalytic term whose specific sense (a daughter's unconscious sexual attraction to her father and rivalry with the mother) is not derivable from the constituents. Knowing 'Electra' as a proper name and 'complex' as a general psychological term does not allow a B1 learner to infer the particular familial/sexual content, so prior exposure or explanation is needed.
Etymology
Electra complex is named after Electra, a woman in a Greek myth who stayed close to her father and fought against her mother after he was killed. The story gives a simple image of a daughter with secret 'romantic' feelings for her father and rivalry with her mother, so the term now describes those hidden feelings.