Defence Mechanisms and Psychosexual Stages

Defence mechanisms

Helps the Ego to balance the demands of the Id and Superego. Happens in the unconscious, ensures we are protected from overwhelming, temporary psychological threats

What are the defence mechanisms?

Repression, denial and displacement

Repression

Forces a distressed memory out of the conscious mind. Influences behaviour without us understanding the reasons of our behaviour

Denial

Refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality. Avoid dealing with painful emotions associated with that event

Displacement

Transferring feelings from the true source of distressing emotion to a substitute target

Psychosexual stages

Freud claimed that this is how children develop. Each stage (not latency) is marked by a different conflict the child must resolve before moving to the next stage. Any unresolved conflict leads to fixation, the child carries certain behaviours into their adulthood

What are the psychosexual stages?

Oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital

Oral stage

Focuses on the mouth, develops from birth to two years. Infant experiences pleasure through their mouth - sucking, biting. Consequence of unresolved conflict - oral fixation, may smoke, bite their nails, be sarcastic

Anal stage

Focuses on anus, develops from one to three years. Child gains pleasure through withholding and expelling faeces. Consequence - anal fixation. Anal retentive - obsessive, perfectionist. Anal expulsive - messy, thoughtless

Phallic stage

Focuses on genitals, develops from three to six years. Child experiences the Oedipus or Electra complex. Consequence - phallic personality, reckless, narcissistic.

Latency stage

Focus is hidden, develops from six to puberty. Earlier conflicts become repressed. Consequence - none

Genital

Focuses on forming heterosexual relationships. Sexual desires become conscious as puberty hits. Consequence - difficultly forming heterosexual relationships

Oedipus Complex

Occurs in the phallic stage. Boys initially feel an unconscious desire for closeness to their mother, fear their father due to castration anxiety. Repress their feelings for their mother and identify with their father. Develop his gender role and moral values

Electra Complex

Occurs in the phallic stage. Girls experience penis envy, feel closeness to the father and hatred for the mother. The process can’t be confronted directly, the ego establishes defence mechanisms to mediate the psychological terrors it generates