Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
Oedipus Complex
Noun
ˈɛdɪpəs ˈkɒmplɛks
Definition
A psychological concept that describes a child’s feelings of desire for their opposite-sex parent and jealousy toward their same-sex parent.
Examples
- According to Freud, the Oedipus complex typically occurs during the phallic stage of a child’s development.
- In his novel, the protagonist exhibited signs of an Oedipus complex, struggling with his feelings for his mother.
Meaning
The Oedipus complex is rooted in the Freudian theory of psychosexual stages of development, where a child experiences a desire for the parent of the opposite sex and rivalry with the parent of the same sex.
Synonyms
- Parricidal complex
- Mother fixation
