Question

Boris does not like chemistry, but he has chosen it as his college major simply to prove that he is just as smart as his father, who is an outstanding chemist. A psychoanalyst would be most likely to suggest that Boris suffers from an unresolved ________.

1) oral fixation
2) free association
3) external locus of control
4) Oedipus complex
5) projection

Answer 1

A psychoanalyst would likely suggest that Boris, who chose his college major to prove he is as smart as his chemist father, suffers from an unresolved Oedipus complex.

Step-by-step explanation:

A psychoanalyst would be most likely to suggest that Boris suffers from an unresolved Oedipus complex. Sigmund Freud's theory suggests that during the phallic stage of a child's development, a male child may experience desire for his mother and feel rivalry towards his father. This can lead to a lifelong unconscious drive to prove oneself or to outdo the same-sex parent in some domain, which seems to be reflected in Boris choosing to major in chemistry to show he is as smart as his chemist father. Choosing a major to prove oneself to a parent can be seen as an attempt to resolve such a conflict.