Psychosexual Stages

• What are the psychosexual stages of development?

  Oral

  Anal

  Phallic

  Latency

  Genital
• Oral stage


  • Birth to 1 year
  • Pleasure is focused on the mouth
  • At this age the babies are weaned from the bottle or breast - can create conflict
  • An adult who smokes, drinks, overeats or bites their nails is fixated in the oral stage
• Anal Stage 


  • 1-3 years
  • Children experience pleasure in their bowel and bladder movements
  • The conflict is over toilet training
  • Freud suggested the success at this stage = how parents handled toilet training
• Phallic Stage 


  • 3-6 years
  • The erogenous zone in this stage is the genitals
  • The conflict arises when the child feels a desire for the opposite sex parent and jealous and hatred towards the same sex parent
  • Boys = Oedipus complex, Girlas = Electra Complex
• Latency


  • Sexual feelings are dormant as children focus on other pursuits such as school, friendships, hobbies and sports
  • Children generally engage in activities with peers of the same sex
• Genital stage


  • Sexual reawakening as the incestuous urges resurface
  • From puberty onwards