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The phallic stage is the most important when it comes to gender. In the phallic stage, boys develop the Oedipus complex and girls develop the Electra complex. This is where they reject their desires for the parent of the opposite sex and this rejection forces them to identify with the same sex parent. The identification is more powerful for boys because they have castration fear if they don’t reject attraction for mother. They realize that their father stands in the way of the satisfaction of their desire and this frustration of the id's desires results in aggressive feelings, which are directed towards the father. The boy deals with the conflict which causes to identify with the father and wanting to be like him. This becomes his superego and, in taking on his father as part of himself the boy takes on the male gender identity. He deals with his desire for his mother by displacing it onto other women. Girls feel they have already been castrated therefore this causes penis envy and feelings of shame and guilt. She starts to desire her father, because he has one and becomes jealous and hostile towards her mother, mirroring the Oedipus complex in boys. Eventually, she starts to identify with and to internalize her mother, developing a superego and a female gender identity. At this point she represses her desire for a penis and
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As it is sometimes found that children are more likely to imitate same-sex models than opposite-sex models, they are also reinforced more when they do so. Around the age of six or seven years, children begin to pay more attention to same-sex models; this is when gender consistency develops. And so, by observing the role-modes, behaviours are modelled and imitated by children.
Bandura (1961) found that children tend to pay more attention and imitate to the same sex role-models, which means that boys would copy men and girls would copy women. Once gender appropriate behaviour is displayed, it is positively reinforced i.e. by giving praise and attention. This reinforcement is operant conditioning thus gender-appropriate behaviour is reproduced by the motivation of the
As it is sometimes found that children are more likely to imitate same-sex models than opposite-sex models, they are also reinforced more when they do so. Around the age of six or seven years, children begin to pay more attention to same-sex models; this is when gender consistency develops. And so, by observing the role-modes, behaviours are modelled and imitated by children.
Bandura (1961) found that children tend to pay more attention and imitate to the same sex role-models, which means that boys would copy men and girls would copy women. Once gender appropriate behaviour is displayed, it is positively reinforced i.e. by giving praise and attention. This reinforcement is operant conditioning thus gender-appropriate behaviour is reproduced by the motivation of the