A Revision of Freud's Theory of the Biological Origin of the Oedipus Complex. (20th December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Solms, Mark
• Is Part Of: Psychoanalytic quarterly. Volume 90:Number 4(2021)
• Page Start: 555
• Page End: 581
• Publication Date: 2021-12-20
• Subjects: Freud -- Lamarck -- Oedipus complex -- castration anxiety -- episodic memory -- cortex -- affective neuroscience -- play; Psychoanalysis -- Periodicals; 616.8917
• DOI: 10.1080/00332828.2021.1984153
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-2828

Abstract

Abstract : This revision concerns primarily the biological origin of the Oedipus complex, classically understood as an inherited primal phantasy . However, a reconceptualization of the origin of what Freud called the nuclear complex of the neuroses also has consequences for understanding its nature. A review of current knowledge relevant to the biological mechanisms of inheritance and the type of memory system that Freud had in mind, and a review of modern instinct theory, suggests that the Oedipus complex is not an innate predisposition but rather the almost inevitable outcome of a combination of simpler biological processes.