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'''Mother's boy''', also commonly and informally '''mummy's boy''' or '''mama's boy''', is a derogatory term for a man seen as having an unhealthy dependence on his [[mother]] at an age at which he is expected to be self-reliant (e.g. live on his own, be economically independent). Use of this phrase is first attested in 1901.<ref>{{cite web |title=EtymOnline |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/mamma |accessdate=29 January 2020}}</ref> The term mama's boy has a connotation of [[effeminacy]] and weakness. The counter term, for women, would be ''[[wikt:Daddy's girl|daddy's girl]]'' (see [[Electra complex]]) also possibly involving a [[father complex]].
'''Mother's boy''', also commonly and informally '''mummy's boy''' or '''mama's boy''', is a derogatory term for a man seen as having an unhealthy dependence on his [[mother]] at an age at which he is expected to be self-reliant (e.g. live on his own, be economically independent). Use of this phrase is first attested in 1901.<ref>{{cite web |title=EtymOnline |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/mamma |accessdate=29 January 2020}}</ref> The term mama's boy has a connotation of [[effeminacy]] and weakness. The counter term, for women, would be ''[[wikt:Daddy's girl|daddy's girl]]'' (see [[Electra complex]]) also possibly involving a [[father complex]].


In Japan, this relationship is called a {{nihongo|'''mother complex'''|マザーコンプレックス|Mazā Konpurekkusu}}, often shortened to {{nihongo|"MotherCon"|マザコン|Mazakon}}, in a way similar to "[[Brother complex|brocon]]" and "[[Sister complex|siscon]]". In Italy the term translated to "Fathers boy" is used as an insult , meaning a man who only has success in his life because he is supported by is Father. The term Mother's boy wouldn't be seen as insulting in Italy as culturally boys are expected to be very close and have their Mother involved heavily in their lives even as adults.
In Japan, this relationship is called a {{nihongo|'''mother complex'''|マザーコンプレックス|Mazā Konpurekkusu}}, often shortened to {{nihongo|"MotherCon"|マザコン|Mazakon}}, in a way similar to "[[Brother complex|brocon]]" and "[[Sister complex|siscon]]".


In classical Freudian [[Psychoanalysis|psychoanalytic]] theory, the term [[Oedipus complex]] denotes a child's [[Libido|desire]] to have sexual relations with the parent of the opposite sex. [[Sigmund Freud]] wrote that a child's identification with the same-sex parent is the successful resolution of the Oedipus complex.<ref>Charles Rycroft ''A Critical Dictionary of Psychoanalysis'' (London, 2nd Ed. 1995)</ref><ref name="JosephChilders">Joseph Childers, Gary Hentzi eds. ''Columbia Dictionary of Modern Literary and Cultural Criticism'' (New York: Columbia University Press, 1995)</ref> This theory came into the [[Popular psychology|popular consciousness]] in America in the 1940s, when sociologists and psychiatrists posited that mothers who were either too close or too distant could hamper the psycho-social development of male children, causing any number of conditions such as [[autism]], [[asthma]], [[schizophrenia]], or [[homosexuality]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=van den Oever |first1=Roel |title=Mama's Boy: Momism and Homophobia in Postwar American Culture |date=Sep 24, 2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1137295088 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CptE3MMV4OkC&q=mama%27s+boy&pg=PP1 |accessdate=29 January 2020}}</ref>
In classical Freudian [[Psychoanalysis|psychoanalytic]] theory, the term [[Oedipus complex]] denotes a child's [[Libido|desire]] to have sexual relations with the parent of the opposite sex. [[Sigmund Freud]] wrote that a child's identification with the same-sex parent is the successful resolution of the Oedipus complex.<ref>Charles Rycroft ''A Critical Dictionary of Psychoanalysis'' (London, 2nd Ed. 1995)</ref><ref name="JosephChilders">Joseph Childers, Gary Hentzi eds. ''Columbia Dictionary of Modern Literary and Cultural Criticism'' (New York: Columbia University Press, 1995)</ref> This theory came into the [[Popular psychology|popular consciousness]] in America in the 1940s, when sociologists and psychiatrists posited that mothers who were either too close or too distant could hamper the psycho-social development of male children, causing any number of conditions such as [[autism]], [[asthma]], [[schizophrenia]], or [[homosexuality]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=van den Oever |first1=Roel |title=Mama's Boy: Momism and Homophobia in Postwar American Culture |date=Sep 24, 2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1137295088 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CptE3MMV4OkC&q=mama%27s+boy&pg=PP1 |accessdate=29 January 2020}}</ref>

Revision as of 16:41, 29 September 2023

Mother's boy, also commonly and informally mummy's boy or mama's boy, is a derogatory term for a man seen as having an unhealthy dependence on his mother at an age at which he is expected to be self-reliant (e.g. live on his own, be economically independent). Use of this phrase is first attested in 1901.[1] The term mama's boy has a connotation of effeminacy and weakness. The counter term, for women, would be daddy's girl (see Electra complex) also possibly involving a father complex.

In Japan, this relationship is called a mother complex (マザーコンプレックス, Mazā Konpurekkusu), often shortened to "MotherCon" (マザコン, Mazakon), in a way similar to "brocon" and "siscon".

In classical Freudian psychoanalytic theory, the term Oedipus complex denotes a child's desire to have sexual relations with the parent of the opposite sex. Sigmund Freud wrote that a child's identification with the same-sex parent is the successful resolution of the Oedipus complex.[2][3] This theory came into the popular consciousness in America in the 1940s, when sociologists and psychiatrists posited that mothers who were either too close or too distant could hamper the psycho-social development of male children, causing any number of conditions such as autism, asthma, schizophrenia, or homosexuality.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "EtymOnline". Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  2. ^ Charles Rycroft A Critical Dictionary of Psychoanalysis (London, 2nd Ed. 1995)
  3. ^ Joseph Childers, Gary Hentzi eds. Columbia Dictionary of Modern Literary and Cultural Criticism (New York: Columbia University Press, 1995)
  4. ^ van den Oever, Roel (Sep 24, 2012). Mama's Boy: Momism and Homophobia in Postwar American Culture. Springer. ISBN 978-1137295088. Retrieved 29 January 2020.