Billy, a 5-year-old, talks often about marrying his mother when he gets older. At times he seems to resent his father. Freud might suggest that this is representative of Billy's __________

Question

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Freud's theory of the Oedipus complex proposes that during the phallic stage (ages 3-6), children experience unconscious sexual desires for the parent of the opposite sex and see the same-sex parent as a rival. This can manifest as a desire to marry the opposite-sex parent and resentment toward the same-sex parent. Based on Billy's behavior, it seems likely he is experiencing the Oedipus complex.

Billy, a 5-Year-Old, Talks Often About Marrying His Mother When