Sex-Based Generalization in Freud

In 'Boys and girls: The development of gender roles,' Beale gives us revealing overview of Freud's personality theory. Beale point out both strengths and weaknesses of his answer to the questions of 'Why' and 'How' in gender development, but still leaves a chance for a reader to make up her/his own mind about whether or not to accept Freud's theory. It is relatively easy, however, to find oneself torn between openheartedly going along …

…of genetics and broader social cues, and to overestimate children's cognitive capabilities during the preoperational stage and the impact of the child-parent relationship on children's gender development. There is no doubt that Freud gave us some priceless insight into human personality development. However, by postulation that development of one's gender in the particular way he describes is inevitable, he leaves us, on this verge of the 21st century, very little reason not to contradict him.