primal-horde theory

Sigmund Freud’s speculative reconstruction in Totem and Taboo (1912–1913) of the original human family, which comprised a dominant male (the primal father) holding sway over a subordinate group of females and younger men or sons. Freud used the theory to account for the origin of exogamy, the incest taboo, guilt, and totemism (see totem).

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Psychology term of the day

November 18th 2024

paradigm clash

in science or philosophy, the conflict that occurs when a new set of fundamental assumptions about reality or human knowledge proves incompatible with an established set of such assumptions. For example, the doctrine of organic evolution challenged established thinking about the origin and nature of the living world and ultimately replaced previous theories.