[Solved] An express employment contract cannot protect an employee from discharge without good cause. Sexual Orientation: The direction of an individual’s erotic interests, today viewed as a continuum from exclusive male–female relations to exclusive same-gender relations. Defense Mechanism: Psychological strategies used by individuals unconsciously to protect themselves from anxiety or unacceptable thoughts and feelings. Homophobia: The fear, hatred, or prejudice against homosexual people or homosexuality in general, often leading to discrimination. Oedipus Complex: According to Freud, a boy’s intense desire to replace his father and enjoy the affections of his mother.