Psychology Chapter: Psychosexual Development Stages

Study Notes

Oral Stage

The Oral stage is the first stage of psychosexual development and occurs from birth to 1 year old
During this stage, the mouth is the primary source of pleasure
Oral needs include sucking, biting, and chewing
Unmet oral needs can lead to habits later in life such as thumb sucking, fingernail biting, smoking, and overeating

Anal Stage

This stage occurs from 1 to 3 years old
The anus is the primary source of pleasure during this stage
Children gain pleasure from holding and releasing urine and feces
The focus of this stage is toilet training which can lead to conflicts about anal control
These conflicts can manifest in extreme orderliness and cleanliness, or messiness and disorder

Phallic Stage

This stage occurs from 3 to 6 years old
Children take pleasure in genital stimulation
The Oedipus complex, for boys, is the unconscious desire for the mother and hostility towards the father
The Electra complex, for girls, is the unconscious desire for the father and hostility towards the mother
These complexes can lead to the development of the superego, which is the conscience
The superego is formed when the child suppresses sexual desires for the opposite sex parent and identifies with the same-sex parent, adopting their characteristics and values

Latency Stage

This stage occurs from 6 to 11 years old
Sexual instincts are suppressed during this stage
The superego continues to develop
Children gain new social values from adults and same-sex peers

Genital Stage

This stage occurs from adolescence onward
Sexual impulses that were suppressed in the latency stage, re-emerge
If development has been successful during earlier stages, this stage is marked by the development of mature sexuality, marriage, and the birth and rearing of children

Description

Explore the first three stages of Freud's psychosexual development: Oral, Anal, and Phallic. Learn how each stage shapes behaviors and personality based on early childhood experiences. This quiz will help you understand the significance of these stages in psychological development.