Psychosexual stages by Freud
October 29th 2007 08:51
Psychosexual stages by Freud
Freud believed that the first years of an individual are crucial to its well balanced personality. Even if he said that the adult personality has a certain degree of flexibility, he also believed that by the time adulthood is reached, the basic structure and functioning of a human personality is set during the first five or six years of life.
Psychosexual development for Freud proceeds through five stages.
The oral stage, up to the first 18 months of life, is characterized by activities centered on the mouth.
Everything the child experiences at this stage is through its mouth such as sucking, swallowing, biting, and chewing.
The anal stage, from two to three years of age, is focused on the anus, retention and expulsion of feces.
Then, the phallic stage begins, around three until five year, when the genitals take importance and children start self-manipulation activities and develop sexual curiosity.
A period of latency is known from about six until twelve years of age.
This stage lasts from the resolution of the Oedipal complex (or Electra complex for girls) to the onset of puberty.
Finally the last stage is the genital stage after puberty has been reached. It is when the individual develops erotic interests and activities focused on sexual partners.
Freud caution ally stressed the idea that all those stages are not clear cut and that sometimes coexistence of two stages at the same time can occur.
He also suggested that a child’s development is the result of a complex interaction between nature and nurture, that human biology does influence the basic pattern of development and that several environment factors as for example parental laxity or strictness determine the specific outcomes of those stages.
Every stage requires an adequate amount of gratification for a successful outcome.
If there is too much of it the child might be reluctant to move on to the next stage and if too little then frustration and anxiety might appear and the personality development may be incomplete.
For example if at the oral stage a child is experimenting overly abundant oral satisfaction, it might cause a certain degree of fixation. As a result later in adulthood, co-dependency on others might occur as well as too optimistic beliefs that one’s needs will be met.
By “fixation” it is meant that the libidinal energy of a certain stage remains stuck at this level and doesn’t shift to next stage. Therefore, the full personality development that occurs through the most mature stage, the genital stage, is inhibited.
It is a common fact that all of humans do carry some minor fixations into adulthood.
But in case of overeating, heavy drinking, smoking; nails biting possible oral fixations are suggested. Also noticed, are stinginess, obstinacy, over cleanliness to be the resultants of a strict toilet training at the anal stage.
Insecurity and anxiety might occur if a child has been made to feel shame and guilt about masturbation and sexual fantasies during the phallic stage.
Most of all, the Oedipus complex occurring during the phallic stage is the most important event during the first five years of a child’s life.
Freud believed that the first years of an individual are crucial to its well balanced personality. Even if he said that the adult personality has a certain degree of flexibility, he also believed that by the time adulthood is reached, the basic structure and functioning of a human personality is set during the first five or six years of life.
Psychosexual development for Freud proceeds through five stages.
The oral stage, up to the first 18 months of life, is characterized by activities centered on the mouth.
Everything the child experiences at this stage is through its mouth such as sucking, swallowing, biting, and chewing.
Then, the phallic stage begins, around three until five year, when the genitals take importance and children start self-manipulation activities and develop sexual curiosity.
A period of latency is known from about six until twelve years of age.
This stage lasts from the resolution of the Oedipal complex (or Electra complex for girls) to the onset of puberty.
Finally the last stage is the genital stage after puberty has been reached. It is when the individual develops erotic interests and activities focused on sexual partners.
Freud caution ally stressed the idea that all those stages are not clear cut and that sometimes coexistence of two stages at the same time can occur.
He also suggested that a child’s development is the result of a complex interaction between nature and nurture, that human biology does influence the basic pattern of development and that several environment factors as for example parental laxity or strictness determine the specific outcomes of those stages.
If there is too much of it the child might be reluctant to move on to the next stage and if too little then frustration and anxiety might appear and the personality development may be incomplete.
For example if at the oral stage a child is experimenting overly abundant oral satisfaction, it might cause a certain degree of fixation. As a result later in adulthood, co-dependency on others might occur as well as too optimistic beliefs that one’s needs will be met.
By “fixation” it is meant that the libidinal energy of a certain stage remains stuck at this level and doesn’t shift to next stage. Therefore, the full personality development that occurs through the most mature stage, the genital stage, is inhibited.
It is a common fact that all of humans do carry some minor fixations into adulthood.
But in case of overeating, heavy drinking, smoking; nails biting possible oral fixations are suggested. Also noticed, are stinginess, obstinacy, over cleanliness to be the resultants of a strict toilet training at the anal stage.
Insecurity and anxiety might occur if a child has been made to feel shame and guilt about masturbation and sexual fantasies during the phallic stage.
Most of all, the Oedipus complex occurring during the phallic stage is the most important event during the first five years of a child’s life.
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Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Freud's psychosexual stages always freak me out. Personally - important as he was for psychoanalysis in general - I can't say he has much credibility with me, especially with this area. I think he was more in tune with Jokes and Their Relation to the Subconscious - though his approach does seem to leech the funniness from his examples!
Nice post.
Michaelie
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
An interesting fellow to say the least!