Definition

1. Noun:
   • A psychoanalytic concept: The Electra complex is a theory in psychoanalysis describing a girl's psychosexual competition with her mother for the affections of her father. It is characterized by feelings of attraction to the father and rivalry with the mother.
   • A developmental stage: It is considered the female counterpart to the Oedipus complex in males, occurring during the phallic stage of psychosexual development.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Freud's colleague Carl Jung proposed the term "Electra complex" to describe this phenomenon.
  • Some psychoanalysts argue that the Electra complex is a crucial stage in female psychological development.

Advanced Usage

• "to resolve the Electra complex": To successfully navigate this developmental stage, typically by identifying with the same-sex parent.
  • According to theory, a girl must resolve the Electra complex to develop a healthy superego.

Variants and Related Words

• Oedipus complex (n): The analogous complex in males, involving attraction to the mother and rivalry with the father.
• Penis envy (n): A related concept in Freudian theory, sometimes discussed in the context of the Electra complex, involving a girl's desire for a penis.

Synonyms

• Female Oedipus complex: A less common, descriptive synonym.

Notes on Meaning

• The term is primarily used within the context of psychoanalytic theory. It is not a term used in general conversation and is often discussed critically or historically in modern psychology.
• The concept is named after the Greek mythological figure Electra, who plotted revenge against her mother for murdering her father.

Noun

1. a complex of females; sexual attraction to the father