femininity phase

in the object relations theory of Melanie Klein, a period during the early phases of the Oedipus complex in which both boys and girls are posited to adopt a feminine attitude toward the father and to desire a child by him. Klein saw this turning to the father as an object of desire and away from the mother as the child’s first object.

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Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

slow-wave sleep

deep sleep that is characterized by increasing percentages of particular types of delta waves on the electroencephalogram, corresponding to Stages 3 and 4 of NREM sleep. See also sleep stages.