Electra Complex:

The Electra complex is a psychoanalytic theory proposed by Sigmund Freud that refers to a daughter’s subconscious sexual desire for her father, and associated feelings of rivalry or jealousy towards her mother. This complex arises during the phallic stage of psychosexual development, typically between the ages of 3 and 6 years old.

Subconscious sexual desire:

A profound attraction or longing for one’s father on a sexual and emotional level, which often remains unconscious and repressed in the individual’s psyche.

Feelings of rivalry or jealousy:

An intense sense of competition or envy that a daughter experiences towards her mother, as she perceives her mother as a romantic rival for her father’s affections.

Phallic stage:

In Freudian psychoanalysis, the phallic stage is the third stage of psychosexual development occurring in early childhood. It is characterized by the child’s shifting focus of pleasure and fixation on the erogenous zones, primarily the genitals.

Psychosexual development:

A concept proposed by Freud that describes the progression of psychosexual stages individuals pass through during childhood, which significantly influence their future personality and behavior. These stages include oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages.