•Electra complex is a theory that suggests that girls become attached to their fathers at the age of 3-6 by developing feelings such as desire, possessiveness, and fondness, and develop competitive feelings towards their mothers.
Although the Electra complex is mostly associated with Sigmund Freud, it was Carl Gustav Jung who first used the term. In 1913, Jung developed the Electra Complex, arguing that he observed girls aged 3-6 years old with a special attachment to their fathers and an increasingly hostile attitude towards their mothers.
•According to Freud, it may be possible for a child not to find a solution to the Electra complex. In such a situation, when the daughter reaches adulthood, she may seek the father figure in her relationships or seek constant approval from a potential father figure. Conflicts surrounding the Elektra Complex can turn into a traumatic experience when not resolved. For this reason, it can be harmful when establishing romantic relationships in adulthood or can lead to the development of mood disorders. Unsuccessful resolution of the electra complex can cause mental disorders that Freud referred to as “neurosis”.
•Today, since Elektra Complex is not considered scientifically valid, there is no official diagnostic criteria defined by specialized institutions, and therefore it is very difficult to talk about specific symptoms. However, to mention the symptoms claimed by the theory: The adult daughter does not love the mother for no reason,
just clinging to what your father did,
wanting to be excessively involved in any event involving the father,
search for partners with father’s characteristics
examples such as.
•Of course, the fact that a boy or girl prefers one parent over the other does not always mean that they experience the Electra Complex. There can be many different reasons why children bond more strongly with one parent than the other, such as “emotional abandonment” or “separation anxiety disorder”.
Source: Evolution Tree
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