Black South African College Students' Views of Freud's Interpretation of the Phallic Psychosexual Stage

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore black South African college students' views of Freud's claim that during the phallic stage, boys have a special sexual interest in their mothers commonly known as the Oedipus complex and that, similarly, girls have such interest in their fathers commonly referred to as the Electra complex. In response, 30 of the 90 students (M age = 21.9 yr., SD = 2. 8 yr.) agreed with Freud's interpretation, whereas 60 rejected it. Both groups of students supported their stance with various reasons. Notwithstanding students' differences and the controversial nature of Freud's view, there is adequate evidence for the conclusion that Freud's view cannot easily be dismissed as a fabrication of imagination.