with parents under the single rubric of the Oedipus complex

Inaccurate Representation of the Electra (Freud, 1925/1961c).

Complex in Psychology Textbooks Jung wrote nothing about the Electra complex in his later
development of the theory of archetypes, preferring instead to
focus on anima and animus as the innate structures of sex and
Christopher T. Kilmartin
gender Qung, 1917/1953). The use of the term Electra com-
Mary Washington College
plex implies that sexual desire for the other-sex parent, the
Daniel Dervin central issue in the phallic stage for boys, is also central to girls'
Department of English, Linguistics, and Speech psychosexual development in this stage. Clearly, Freud did
Mary Washington College not believe so, and therefore, the Electra complex and the
Oedipus complex should not be represented as parallel in
textbook discussions of his theory. The Electra complex is
In their discussbn of Ereud's theory, authors of introductory
actually not much more than a footnote in psychoanalytic
psychobgy, devebpmental psychobgy, and persorwlity textbooks
history, rejected by the father of the field (Freud) and later
often refer to the female version of the Oedipus complex as the
ignored by the very person who coined the term Oung).
Electra complex. However, it mas actually Carl Jung who coined
this term, which was later rejected by Ereud and even ignored by How, then, does the story of Electra find its way into
Jung himself. A survey of a sample of recent psychobgy textbooks introductory psychology, developmental psychology, and per-
reveals that a substantial number of authors attribute the Electra sonality textbooks, and bow is it represented there? Following
complex term to Ereud. Teachers of psychobgy would do well to the form of similar content analyses such as Queresbi (1993),
correct this common distortion for students. Linton (1992), and Leong and Pointer (1991), we surveyed
the treatment of the Electra complex in recently published
introductory psychology (n = 30), developmental psychology
Introductory psychology, developmental psychology, and (n = 26) and personality textbooks (n = 19). We found
personality textbooks usually include discussions of Sigmund substantial problems with the representation of this aspect of
Freud's theories of personality and psychosexual develop- psychoanalytic theory, as an earlier article (Prytula, Oster, &.
ment. Authors of these texts often devote significant space to Davis, 1977) did with textbook representations of the work of
a discussion of one of the most controversial aspects of Freud's John Watson.
theory, the Oedipus complex, in which Freud described a series Correct citations of the origins of the Electra complex were
of intrapsychic events as taking place during the phallic stage more the exception than the rule. Almost one-third (23 of 77,
of development. Frequently, the term Electra complex is used 30%) of the texts had no mention of the Electra complex.
to describe the female counterpart of the male's Oedipus When the surveyed authors did discuss this term, however (n
complex. However, the use of this term and its attribution to = 54), they mentioned Freud's rejection of it only 23% (n =
Freud are historically and theoretically inaccurate. 12) of the time. Moreover, the Jungian origin of the term
It was not Freud, but Carl Jung (1912/1961) who initiated Electra complex was not to be found in any of the texts.
a clinical discourse on the Electra complex. Jealousy, rein- Overall, 72% (n = 39) of the texts that mentioned the Electra
forced by a "budding eroticism," he wrote, gains in strength complex either directly attributed the term to Freud or else
until the "Oedipus complex soon assumes its classical form" strongly implied that it was a Freudian term by the use of the
(p. 154). passive voice, stating that the female Oedipus complex is
sometimes referred to as the Electra complex. In these latter
[A] daughter develops a specific liking for the father, cases, which comprise 26% (n = 14) of the texts that con-
with a correspondingly jealous attitude toward the tained references to the Electra complex, the author does not
mother. We could call this the Electra complex. As inform the reader of the source of this terminology. However,
everyone knows, Electra took vengeance on her mother because this language appears in sections about Freud's the-
Clytemnestra for murdering her husband Agamemnon ory, a reader would probably assume that Freud used the term.
and thus robbing her [Electra] of her beloved father, (p. As a group, developmental psychology and introductory
134) psychology textbooks were the least accurate in their portrayal
of the Electra complex, with 82% (n = 32) of books that
Jung went on to discuss "the unconscious presence of numer- referred to the Electra complex (n = 39) citing the term
ous fantasies which have their roots in the infantile past ... inaccurately. Although many developmental psychology
which in men may be designated as the Oedipus complex, in books (n - 7, 41%) did so by implication, most introductory
women as the Electra complex" (p. 154). psychology texts (n = 14, 64%) directly attributed the term
Freud quite clearly rejected the term Electra complex to Freud. Personality textbooks fared better, with 46% (n —
when, in 1920 he wrote, "I do not see any progress or advan- 6) describing Freud's rejection of the term accurately. How-
tage in the introduction of the term 'Electra complex,' and do ever, none of the authors of these books attributed the Electra
not advocate its use" (Freud, 1920/1961b, p. 155). Later, he complex to Jung, despite the fact that most personality texts
wrote, "We are right in rejecting the term Electra complex contain extensive descriptions of Jung's theory.
which seeks to insist that the situation of the two sexes is Historians of psychology may be interested in the path by
analogous" (p. 229). Freud saw boys and girls as struggling in which the Electra complex migrated from Jung's writings into
different ways with the reality of the penis—the girl with envy Freud's in contemporary textbooks, an issue obviously beyond
at its lack and the boy with apprehension about its loss. Hence, the scope of this article. Teachers of psychology, however,
Freud subsumed the conflicts over triangulated relationships would do well to correct this common distortion for students.

Vol. 24, No. 4,1997 269

 References the therapist teaches the client to relax, creating a response
that is incompatible with anxiety. For the second step, the
therapist and client work together to create an anxiety hierar-
Freud, S. (1961a). Female sexuality. In]. Strachey (Ed. and Trans.), chy, ordering anxiety-provoking stimulifromlowest to highest
The standard edition of the complete psychologicd works of Sigmund
(related to a common fear dimension, such as proximity to a
Freud (Vol. 21, pp. 223-255). London: Hogartb. (Original work
publisbed 1931) snake). The therapist ensures that there is not a large difference
Freud, S. (1961b). Tbe psycbogenesis of female homosexuality. I n ] . in anxiety ratings between any two adjacent hierarchy items.
Stracbey (Ed. and Trans.), The standard edition of the complete For the third step, the therapist (starting at the bottom of the
psychologicd works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 18, pp. 146-211). Lon- hierarchy) guides the progressive association of each hierarchy
don: Hogartb. (Original work publisbed 1920) item with relaxation, until the client is able to remain relaxed
Freud, S. (1961c). Some psycbological consequences of tbe anatomi- in response to each item. The therapist may accomplish this
cal distinction between tbe sexes. In]. Stracbey (Ed. and Trans.), association by asking the client to imagine hierarchy items
The standard edition of the complete psychologicd works of Sigmund (traditional SD) or by actually presenting the feared items (in
Freud (Vol. 19, pp. 243-278). London: Hogarth. (Original work vivo SD). Therapists sometimes combine traditional SD and
published 1925)
in vivo SD, using the former technique first.
]ung, C. G. (1953). Anima and animus. InH. Read, M. Fordbam, &.
G. Adler (Eds.), Collected works (Vol. 7, pp. 186-209). New York: Although Balch (1983) acknowledged the need for more
Pantheon. (Original work published 1917) creative ways of teaching therapeutic techniques, few authors
]ung, C. G. (1961). Tbe tbeory of psychoanalysis: The Oedipus have discussed methods for teaching SD. Sprecher and
complex. In H. Read, M. Fordbam, &. G. Adler (Eds.), Collected Worthington (1982) tried having general psychology students
works (Vol.4, 2nd ed., pp. 151-156). New York: Pantheon. (Origi- experience SD for seven 30 min sessions. However, they
nal work publisbed 1912) concluded tbat this teaching method was too lengthy and
Leong, F. T. L., &. Pointer, M. A. (1991). Tbe representation of produced few therapeutic benefits.
counseling versus clinical psycbology in introductory psycbology We present a technique for demonstrating in vivo SD in
textbooks. Teaching o/Ps^ic/iologji, 18, 12-16.
an engaging, humorous, and informative manner that uses
Linton, S. (1992). Analysis of information about television in devel-
opmental psycbology textbooks. Teaching of Psychohgy, 19,82-85.
relatively little class time. Our technique involves brief role
Prytula, R. E., Oster, G. D., & Davis, S. F. (1977). Tbe "rat rabbit" playing similar to that recommended by Balch (1983) for
problem: What did ]obn B. Watson really do? Teaching of Psychol- teaching client-centered therapy (see also Low, 1996).
ogy, 4, 44-46.
Quereshi, M. Y. (1993). Tbe contents of introductory psychology Nature of the Demonstration
books: A follow-up. Teaching of Psychology, 20, 218-222.

The second author, Michael, conducted the demonstra-

Note tion in three sections of general psychology. Prior to the
demonstration, he explained the three steps of SD (see the
Correspondence conceming tbis article should be sent to Christo- first paragraph for a similar explanation). He explained that
pher Kilmartin, Department of Psycbology, Mary Washington Col- he would demonstrate the technique with a student who was
lege, Fredericksburg, VA 22401; e-mail: ckilmart@mwc.edu. ostensibly currently in therapy with him because of a phobia
of chalkboard erasers. Before the beginning ofthe class period,
the course instructor had selected a student who always sat at
the back of the room and quietly asked the student to play
A Humorous Demonstration of along with the demonstration.
In Vivo Systematic Desensitization: To start the demonstration, Michael explained that the
The Case of Eraser Phobia student always sat at the back ofthe room because of a phobia
of chalkboard erasers. He stated that he had already taught
progressive relaxation to the student, worked with the student
Timothy J. Lawson to develop an anxiety hierarchy, and desensitized the student
Michael Reardon to a photograph of a chalkboard eraser. Michael then showed
College of Mount St. Joseph
the class the photograph and moved it toward the student to
show that the student had indeed been desensitized to it.
We present a technique for derrwrutrating in vivo systematic Then, Michael explained that he planned to desensitize the
desensidzation in an engaging, humorous, and informative manner. student to items higher in the anxiety hierarchy. He took a
It involves role playing the treatment of a student who ostensibly caged eraser out of his briefcase and showed it to the student.
has a phobia of chalkboard erasers (hence the reason he or she The toy metal cage was slightly larger than the eraser and was
always sits at the back of the room). Students enjoyed the demon- locked with a small toy padlock. As Michael moved closer to
stratbn and believed it enhanced their understanding of systematic the student with the caged eraser, the student acted anxious
desensitizatbn. and Michael asked the student to take some deep breaths and
to invoke the relaxation training.
Systematic desensitization (SD) is a common topic covered Once the student was relaxed, Michael removed the eraser
in general, abnormal, and clinical or counseling psychology from the cage and showed it to the student until the student
courses. Developed by Wolpe (1958), SD involves associating became relaxed once again. He moved the uncaged eraser
a relaxed state with graduated exposure to anxiety-provoking closer and closer to the student until,finally,the student could
stimuli. SD typically involves three steps. During the first step. touch the eraser without becoming overly anxious. At each

270 Teaching of Psychology