(3) Unit 1 - Psychodynamic Assumption Three - Influences of Childhood Experiences

What did Freud believe would shape our adult personality?

Early childhood experiences. He proposed the idea that psychological development in children occurs through stages termed by the psychosexual stages.

What are the psychosexual stages of development?

Oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital. Each stage represents the fixation of the libido on different areas of the body.

How can fixations occur?

Through frustration or overindulgence.

What is the first stage of psychosexual development?

Oral stage - this occurs from birth to 18 months, and the origin of libido is the mouth.

What are the key events associated with the oral stage?

Feeding, sucking dummies and sucking thumbs. If a child is frustrated at this stage it can lead to them becoming pessimistic, envious and sarcastic, but if a child is overindulged, it can lead to them being optimistic, gullible and needy in relationships.

What is the second stage in psychosexual development?

Anal stage - occurs from approximately 18 months to 3 years and the origin of libido is the anus.

What is the key event associated with the anal stage?

Potty training. If a child is frustrated (harsh potty-training) it can lead them to become stubborn, possessive and overly tidy but overindulgence (lax potty-training) can lead them to become messy, disorganised and reckless.

What is the third stage of psychosexual development?

Phallic stage - occurs from approximately 3 to 5 years and the origin of libido is the genitals.

What is the the fourth stage of psychosexual development?

Latency stage - this occurs from approximately 5 years to puberty. There is little sexual motivation at this stage.

What is the fifth stage of psychosexual development?

Genital - occurs from puberty until death and the origin of libido is the genitals.

What behaviour did Freud believe occurred if a child suffered fixations at the oral stage?

An eating disorder in adulthood or an addiction such as alcohol or smoking.

What behaviour did Freud believe occurred if a child suffered fixations at the anal stage?

Adults developing an anal personality type and potentially OCD.

How can this assumption be linked to the formation of maternal relationships?

Through Freud’s theory of ‘cupboard love’ where he believed we form an attachment to our mother due to the instinctual desire to have our basic psychological needs met. In the first 18 months of our lives our source of pleasure is the mouth, suggesting that children love their mother because she provides them with was the child needs to be satisfied - food.

What was Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment and how does it differ from Freud’s ‘cupboard love’ theory?

It suggested that the relationship between a mother and child was formed through monotropy - intense, unique and innate attachment to the primary caregiver, usually the mother.

Therefore, how can the formation of maternal relationships be linked to the assumption of ‘influences of childhood experiences’?

The bond between a mother and child is determined by their success in the oral stage of their psychosexual development.