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Work in Progress Beyond the Oedipus Complex Please note: This electronic file you are receiving is intended for one-time use only. Reprints may be requested at a charge of $1 per copy. All materials are copyright protected. No part of these files may be transmitted, distributed or reproduced in any other way without permission from the Wellesley Centers for Women. Please call the publication office at (781) 283-2510 to request additional copies. Work in Progress Beyond the Oedipus Complex: Mothers and Daughters Irene P. Stiver, Ph.D. Wellesley Centers for Women Wellesley College No.26 Wellesley, MA 02481 1986 Work in Progress Work in Progress is a publication series based on the work of the Stone Center for Developmental Services and Studies at Wellesley College, and it includes papers presented in the Center's Colloquium Series. Work in Progress reflects the Center's commitment to sharing information with others who are interested in fostering psychological well-being, preventing emotional problems, and providing appropriate services to persons who suffer from psychological distress. The publication also reflects the Center's belief that it is important to exchange ideas while they are being developed. Many of the papers, therefore, are intended to stimulate discussion and dialogue, while others represent finished research reports. For those papers which were part of the Colloquium Series, each document includes the substantive material presented by the lecturer, information about the speaker, and, where appropriate, a summary of the subsequent discussion session. Jean Baker Miller Training Institute Founded in 1995, the Jean Baker Miler Training Institute bases its work on the Relational-Cultural Model of psychological development, which grew out of a collaborative process of theory building initiated by the scholars at the Stone Center. The Institute offers workshops, courses, professional trainings, publications, and ongoing projects which explore applications of the relational-cultural approach. At the heart of this work is the belief that the Relational-Cultural Model offers new and better ways of understanding the diversity and complexities of human experience. The Robert S. and Grace W. Stone Center for Developmental Services and Studies Creation of the Robert S. and Grace W. Stone Center for Developmental Services and Studies resulted from a generous gift to Wellesley College by Robert S. and Grace W. Stone, parents of a Wellesley graduate. The Center was dedicated in the fall of 1981, and its programs reflect the Stone family's interest in preventing psychological distress. With the creation of the Stone Center, Wellesley College has enlarged its long- established search for excellence. At Wellesley, the Center has the unique advantage of immersion in a community of scholars and teachers who can add the broad perspective of the humanities, sciences, and social sciences to the Center's psychological expertise. The Stone Center is developing programs aimed toward the following goals: research in psychological development of people of all ages; service demonstration and research projects which will enhance psychological development of college students; service, research, and training in the prevention of psychological problems. Correspondence and inquiries about the publication series should be addressed to Wellesley Centers for Women Publications, Wellesley College, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481-8259. © 1986, by Irene P. Stiver, Ph.D. Beyond the Oedipus Complex: Mothers and Daughters Irene P. Stiver, Ph.D. About the Author At a recent panel a number of leading psycho- Irene Pierce Stiver, Ph.D., is Director of the analysts re-examined the Oedipus complex (Modell, Psychology Department at McLean Hospital, Belmont, 1985). They included representatives from more Massachusetts, and a Principle Associate in Psychiatry at orthodox Freudian theory, object relations theory, and the Harvard Medical School. Kohut’s self-psychology. One of the panelists began his discussion of the Oedipus complex by saying that “to challenge its centrality in the function of the Abstract neuroses, becomes an act of rebellion equivalent to Women are often critical of their mothers and identify parricide or its variant, fratricide” (p. 202). That with their most negative characteristics. Simultaneously, it statement captures the essence of what I want to talk has also been noted that strong bonds are often established about today. That is, the male Oedipus complex, with between mothers and daughters. When traditional Oedipal its dynamics of competitiveness, retaliation, terror of theory is applied to women, it does not take into account castration, and identification with the aggressor, may sufficiently either the prevalence of daughters’ critical be much more germane to the experience of men than perceptions of their mothers or the strong connections also the female Oedipus complex is to the experience of established between many mothers and daughters. The self- women. in-relation conceptualization of female development will be Serious questions about the female Oedipus used as a context to reconcile these seemingly contradictory complex have been raised for a long time, but the observations and to examine women’s development within theory is still dominant in clinical circles. Moreover, dynamic inter-relationships in the family and the difficulties the current renewed interest in psychoanalysis has led encountered in the process. some modern feminists to accept many of its basic premises. I will examine the theory in the light of This paper was originally presented at a Stone Center recent theoretical research and clinical evidence, and Colloquium on May 7, 1986. then suggest alternative formulations based on clinical experience with women. It is probably not too surprising that it has been primarily (but not only) women who have been able to raise serious questions about feminine development in Freudian theory. It is also of interest that these women have not been adequately acknowledged by the psychoanalytic community. In an interesting paper, Fliegel (1973) traces an historical reconstruction of ideas of feminine psychosexual development. She notes that some of the important early contributions by Horney were largely ignored by Freud and other analysts. While Ernest Jones joined Horney in some of her observations, subsequent literature has tended to credit the ideas developed by Horney to Jones and sometimes did not credit either of them. © 1986, by Irene P. Stiver, Ph.D. 1 Even more relevant, however, is the absence of said afterwards to the other, “Well, if they don’t get it acknowledgement in contemporary discussions of on the couch, they certainly won’t get it over lunch,” early female development in psychoanalytic theory of so I do know the dangers of exposing myself to such the significant contributions of Chodorow, Gilligan, unsolicited analyses. and Miller. Chodorow (1978), in particular, examines What I hope to accomplish tonight is to in considerable detail the extent to which gender demonstrate how the inflexible application to female difference significantly affects the asymmetrical development of a concept derived from male developmental paths of males and females in the development, without sufficient attention to the “pre-Oedipal” stage and in the resolution of Oedipal quality and nature of women’s experience, leads to a conflicts; Gilligan’s 1982 work on moral development significant misunderstanding of women. While this empirically addresses and challenges the earlier would be bad enough, it also blinds us from seeing the psychoanalytic notion that the super-egos of females unique nature of female development in the areas of are less developed than those of males. Miller (1976), sexuality, affect, and cognition. of course, has offered us a path toward a new psychology of women, but also has brought together Formulation of the Oedipus complex some of the classic papers which critically examine As a step toward this goal, I would like first to female development in psychoanalytic theory, in a examine the formulations for the male and, next, the separate volume (1973). Yet it is a rare paper in the female Oedipus complex. In particular I will be current psychoanalytic literature on female reviewing the theoretical analyses of the female development that mentions any of these in its list of Oedipus complex and the empirical data available in references. order to illustrate how weak are its underpinnings. I There has been some decline of psychoanalytic will then offer some alternative ideas to help us think interest in the Oedipus conflict in some quarters. For about those features that do seem relevant at some example, the Kohutians have moved it from the center level to female experience. Finally, the implications of of classical theory to more peripheral positions, but these observations for psychotherapy with women many other psychoanalysts have long given more will be considered. attention to “pre-Oedipal” development. Recently, there has been an emphasis on the infant-mother dyad The male Oedipus complex around issues of separation and individuation. Still, I The original formulation of the Oedipus believe it would be safe to say that psychoanalysts and complex described a crucial stage of development for other clinicians remain wedded to the centrality of the boys (Freud, 1924). Around three to four years of age, Oedipus complex for maturation and sexual a little boy’s attachment to his mother becomes development. Schafer (1974) notes that the use of
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