Journal #4: Freud's Psychosexual Developmental Stages

Each stage of Freud's Psychosexual Development represents the fixation of libido (sexual drives or instincts) on a different area of the body. As a person grows certain areas of their body become important as sources of erogenous zones, pleasure or both. Freud meant to convey that what develops is the way in which sexual energy accumulates adn is discharged as we mature biologically. He also stressed taht the first five years are crucial to the formation of adult personality-id must be controlled to satisfy social demands. The ego and superego develop in order to exercise control adn direct the need for gratification into socially acceptable channels.

Each stage is associated with a particular conflict that must be resolved before advancing to teh next stage. Both frustaration and overindulgence may lead to what psychoanalysts call fization at a particular psychosexual stage.

Stage 1

Oral

At birth until the first year the libido is the baby's mouth (sucking, biting). The child gets satisfaction from putting things in its mouth. Freud suggests that oral stimulation could lead to an oral fixation. Oral Personalities such as smokers, nail biters, finger-chewers, thumb-suckers, etc. show such behavior when stressed. Eventually the baby becomes less dependent on the care taker.

Stage 2

Anal

From the childs first year to their third year the libido focus' on the anus. At this time the ego has developed and the child is aware that they are a person. Freud believed this type of conflict (anal) tends to come to a head in potty training. The nature of this first conflict with authority can determine the child's future relationship with all forms of authority.

Early and harsh potty training can lead to the child becoming an anal-retenative personality who hates mess, is obsessively tidy, punctual and respectful of authority, stubborn, tight fisted with money and possessions. While and anal expulsive, who undergoes liberal toilet training, will want to share their belongings, they like to give things away, they are messy, disorganized and rebellious.

Stage 3

Phallic

During the Phallic stage, from the ages three to six years

old, the sensitivity is now on the genitals. The child is now aware of anatomical sex differences and is conflicted between erotic attraction, resentment, rivalry, jealousy and fear known as the Oedipus Complex for the boys and the Electra Complex for the girls.

Oedipus Complex:

The name Oedipus Complex comes from Greek Mythology where Oedipus ends up killing his father and marrying his mother. The conflict arrises because the boy develops sexual desires for the mother. The child wants to possess his mother exclusively and get rid of his father. Although the boy thinks that if the father were to find out he would take away the boys penis and therefore the boy develops a castration anxiety. In order to prevent this, the boy decides to imitate the father.

Electra Complex:

The Electra Complex is the opposite of the Oedipus Complex where the girl desires the father. Although the girl realizes that she doesn't have a penis and develops penis envy and wishes to be a boy. The girl resolves this by repressing her desire and substitutes the penis with the want for a baby. The mother ends up being blamed and the child represses her feelings and identifies with the mother to take on the female role.

Stage 4

Latency

From the age of 6 until puberty the libido is dormat where all the

sexual impulses are repressed an dredirected towards school, hobbies, and friendship. All energies go to developing new skills and gaining knowledge and play becomes confined to children of the same gender.

Stage 5

Genital

Once puberty ends to adulthood sexual experimentation begins and is resolved once one settles down in a loving one-to-one relationship. A persons sexual instinct is directed to sexual pleasures rather than self pleasure. Fixations and conflict may prevent the transition to sexual pleasures because sexual perversions may have developed during other stages such as gaining sexual pleasure from kissing or oral sex rather than intercourse.