Assumption 1 - childhood experiences

• Freud believed that experiences in our childhood shape our adult personality
• He proposed that through childhood, we go through developmental stages, called psychosexual stages.
• Each stage represents a fixation of libido on different areas of the body.
• What are the five psychosexual stages ?

  1- the oral stage (0-18 months)

  2- the anal stage (18 months to 3 years)

  3- the phallic stage ( 3-5 years)

  4- the latency stage ( 5 years to puberty)

  5- genital stage ( puberty to onwards)
• frustration 


  The stage has not been resolved, the needs of the child has not been met, child is now unsatisfied
• Over indulgence 


  Needs of the child have been more than satisfied. Child then feels too comfortable and does not want to move out of the stage into the next.
• Origin of the libido/ source of pleasure - oral stage 


  • the mouth
  • sucking
  • chewing
  • swallowing
  • biting
• key events in the oral stage 


  • breast feeding
  • weaning onto solid food
• Outcome of fixation in the oral stage 


  • frustration = pessimism, envy, sarcasm, typically aggressive, dominant, suspicious
  • over indulgence = optimism, gullibility, needy, too trusting, smokers, nail biters, thumb suckers
• Conflict is successfully resolved in the oral stage 


  • can form healthy relationships
  • accept affection from others
  • can enjoy food and drink
• Origin of libido/ source of pleasure in the anal stage 


  Anus:

  withholding, expelling, playing with faeces
• Key event In the anal stage ?


  potty training.
• Outcome of fixation on the anal stage?


  • fixation = stubborn, possessive, overly tidy, stingy, anal receptive character
  • overindulgence = messy, disorganised, reckless, generous, careless
• Conflict is successfully resolved in the anal stage ?


  able to deal with authority and can find balance
• Phallic stage— this is where the Oedipus complex and electra complex happens