The s Theory Of Personality - 748 Words

Avoidant attachment style of a male present in a romantic relationship (Male super ego and madonna-whore complex The importance of child-parent attachment in Freud s theory of personality is best captured in his characterization of the infant-mother relationship (Richters Waters 1991, Brogaard 2015). Freud (as explained by Richters Waters 1991) described socialization as the process through which a child s natural erotic and aggressive instincts are gradually brought under the control of the superego. Freud believed that children identify with the superegos as well as the situational behaviors of their parents (Richters Waters 1991). Identification process, according to Freud, is rooted in the child s initial total dependence on†¦show more content†¦In many cases as the mother withdraws her constant attention, interaction, and affection (avoidant attachment) the boy responds by acquiring the role the mother by becoming his own source of support and comfort (Richters Waters 1991). â€Å"In Freud s terms, the child gives up the mother as a love object, and incorporates her in his superego (ego ideal)† (Richters Waters 199, 3) A subgroup of men with an avoidant attachment style suffers from a condition known as the Madonna-whore complex ((Brogaard 2015). The avoidant attachment style is characterized by an inability to form long-term committed relationships. It is premised on fear of intimacy, rejection and abandonment that arose in early childhood as explained by Brogaard (2015). Brogaard analyzed that the complex occurs as a result of maltreatment by the mother and fear of incest as interpreted by Freud. â€Å"When a mother abandons, neglects, verbally, emotionally or physically abuses or is emotionally distant from her infant or young child, the child feels so hurt that he will eventually repress many of the memories associated with the mother’s behavior.†(Brogaard 2015). For management of traumatic childhood experiences, the avoidant child will stay away from intimacy and situations that can cause the memories and the negative emotions to reappear (Brogaard 2015). However as explained by Brogaard (2015), subconsciously the child will be looking