Oedipal motives in adolescent chess players

Twenty-six adolescent boys, regular participants of chess clubs, were compared to a matched control group of 26 non-players. Two cards of the Blacky Test, four fable completion tasks, and three Thematic Apperception Test cards were administered, and indices were constructed to measure three aspects of oedipal dynamics. Chess players displayed significantly more jealousy regarding father's relationship with mother, and significantly more castration anxiety. No significant difference was found in expressions of father-son aggression. A composite index also showed greater preoccupation with oedipal themes in chess players. The results are seen as supporting the psychoanalytic view that oedipal motives contribute to interest in chess.