PSYCHOSEXUAL PHASES
INTRODUCTION:
- Psychosexual stages were given by Sigmund Freud (1856-39).
- Psychosexual energy, or libido (sex drive) – “Driving force behind behavior”.
- According to Freud “from birth on there is an innate tendency to seek pleasure, especially via physical stimulation & particularly via stimulation of parts/zones of body which are touch-sensitive.
- The mouth
- The anus
- The genitals
- Referred as “erogenous zones”.
STAGES:
Oral stage (Birth to about age 1):
- Infant obtains sensual pleasure first by sucking & later by biting.
- Center of libido – Mouth.
- Mouth – Vital for eating, derives pleasure from oral stimulation via gratifying activities (tasting & sucking).
- Infant entirely dependent upon caretakers.
- Develops a sense of trust and comfort through this oral stimulation.
- Feeding and contact with the mother.
- Mouthing new objects.
- relief of teething pain by biting.
- A conflict at this stage occurs with a child being weaned off the mother’s breast
Signs of Fixation or affects on adult personality in this stage are:
- Overeating or Pessimism
- Smoking
- Envy
- Gullibility
- Suspicion
- Dependency
- Passivity
Anal stage (ages 1-3)
- Primary focus of libido – On controlling bladder & bowel movements.
- Developing this control leads to a sense of accomplishment & independence.
- First stage:
- Involves pleasure from expulsion of feces; latter part involves pleasure from retention.
- Fixation at first stage
- Messiness
- Disordered
- Fixation at second stage
- Excessive compulsiveness
- Over conformity
- Exaggerated self-control.
- Positive experiences during this stage served as the basis for people to become
- Competent
- Productive
- creative
- Disorders associated:
- “Fixation at anal stage” – Arrested psychosexual development at anal stage – Results in OCD development.
- Inappropriate development:
- If parent punish, ridicule or shame a child for accidents or other inappropriate parental responses –> Results in negative outcomes.
- If parents is too lenient —> Freud suggested “development of anal-expulsive personality” (messy, wasteful & destructive
individual). - If parents is too strict or begin toilet training too early–> Freud suggested: “development of anal-retentive personality” (stringent, orderly, rigid & obsessive individual).
Phallic stage (ages 3-5):
- Focus of Libido –
- Awareness of sexual organs
- Love-hate relationship with the same-sex parent
- Critical episodes during this stage occur differently for boys (Oedipus complex) & girls (Electra complex).
- Signs of Fixation (affects on adult personality):
- Reckless or afraid of love
- Narcissistic
- Self-Assured or Selfish
- Poor Opposite sex relationships.
- Neurotic illness.
Oedipus complex
- Boys Have sexual/sensual desires for his mother.
- The child also fears that he will be punished by the father for these feelings, a fear Freud termed castration anxiety.
- Identification with father
- Reduces anxiety.
- Behave like his father
- Take up his ideas of right and wrong.
- Tries to dress like his father.
Electra complex
- Attracted towards their father.
Latency Stage: (age 6 to puberty):
- Sexual drive lay dormant.
- Stage begins around time that children enter into school –> become more concerned with peer relationships, hobbies & other interests.
- Sexual energy is still present yet redirected into intellectual pursuits & social interactions.
- Child usually has few opposite sex friends.
- Stage important in development of social & communication skills & self-confidence.
- Sign of fixation – Lack of close friends
Genital Stage (adolescence and beyond)
- Marked by puberty
- Mature heterosexual interests appears.
- Interested in dating & marriage
- More libidal energy at this stage –> greater his or her capacity developing normal relationships with opposite sex.
- Stage completed successfully –> Well-balanced, warm & caring individual.
- Goal of stage – To establish a balance between various life areas.
Signs of fixation:
- Guilt about sexuality
- Feelings of inadequacy
- Poor sexual relationships
- Anxious feelings regarding opposite sex.
Exam Important
- Theory of “Psychosexual development” was given by Sigmund Freud
- Life span of Sigmund Freud was 1856-39 and he passed most of his life in Austria
- Oedepius complex has been described by Sigmund Freud
- Oedipus complex (given by sigmund freud) is seen in Boys of 3 – 5 years of age
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