According to Freud, to reduce the conflict of castration anxiety, a boy identifies with his:

• A. father
• B. sibling
• C. teacher
• D. mother

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of castration anxiety in Freud's psychoanalytic theory, which refers to a boy's fear of losing his genitals as a punishment for his feelings toward his mother during the phallic stage of psychosexual development.
2. Recognize that Freud proposed the Oedipus complex, where the boy experiences unconscious sexual desire for his mother and rivalry with his father.
3. Identify that to resolve this conflict and reduce castration anxiety, the boy uses a defense mechanism called identification, where he adopts characteristics, values, and behaviors of another person.
4. Recall that according to Freud, the boy specifically identifies with his father to internalize the father's authority and reduce the fear of punishment.
5. Conclude that the correct answer is 'father' because this identification helps the boy resolve the Oedipus complex and move toward healthy psychosexual development.