Images of Fatherhood: Evidence of seats held by father in the psyche of men and boys in contemporary society

Author(s)

Glaucya Hannah Covelo

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Psicologia (IP/SBD)
• Defense date: 2012-02-03

Examining board members

Laura Villares de Freitas; Durval Luiz de Faria; Alberto Pereira Lima Filho

• Advisor: Laura Villares de Freitas

Abstract

The relationship with the father figure is very important for individuals development. For analytical psychology, the need to have a relationship with a father is archetypal. It is understood that the paternal function is linked to law and order, and the individual\'s relationship with the world, amongst others. The literature, mostly, still treats the family institution from the model of the traditional family, patriarchal and nuclear, which however, is no longer the only model found in contemporary Brazilian society. This research aims at identifying father figure images in family drawings with stories, elaborated by male children aged between 06 and 12 years and adult males aged between 23 and 50, the latter having had the experience of fathering at least one boy. Specific objectives of this study are: locating possible moves to restructure the functions traditionally related to father figure and / or determine ways in which fathers and children adapt to new family configurations, discuss the possible implications and resonances of reframes the father figure in the childrens development, identify how to express the \"images of fatherhood\" of fathers and children in society today. The 20 individuals, divided into two groups (one of children and other of fathers) were interviewed and produced a family drawing with a history. The records of interviews, drawings and stories were organized by means of indicators, from which categories were established. Using the analytical psychology of Carl Gustav Jung, the qualitative data analysis was inspired by the dramatic structure of dreams, which identified movement or stagnation of flow of psychic energy images studied raised the following categories: the traditional father, the father undifferentiated , the replaced father, the contemporary and the archetypal father. Some contemporary issues are discussed in relation to the development of individuals: the phenomenon of \"emo\" and androgyny, eros and logos in psychological clinical practice, the authority, power abuse and lack of discipline in society, the alterity in the family. The data suggests that the father is not a reference of heroism nor absolute authority for the children. More humane, it relates to the son of another place. It is understood that the children adapt to the new fathers model, searching for someone who overcame their archetypal need to have someone holding the paternal function in fantasy, in culture or in the family, even when the father is absent. The boys seem to be aware of the human condition and often fail their fathers, and seek ways to adapt to this situation by seeking other figures that may complement the need of archetypal structuring father functions. The fathers, more attached to the nuclear family model, consisting of father, mother and children, seem to recognize at least the current condition of the family in society and stick to more idealized images. Alterity seems to be the predominant dynamic consciousness desirable in father-child relationships in the contemporary family (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/06540-1 - Images of parenthood: evidence of seats held by father in the psyche of men and boys in contemporary society.
• Grantee: Glaucya Hannah Covelo
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master