SIGMUND-FREUD

Freud's Psycho-Sexual Theory

  • Sigmund Freud proposed the concept of psychosexual development, which outlines five stages during which a child's pleasure-seeking energies become focused on certain erogenous zones.

Freud’s Psychosexual Stages

  1. Oral Stage: Birth to 18 Months

  2. Anal Stage: 18 Months to 3 Years

  3. Phallic Stage: 3 to 6 Years

  4. Latency Stage: 7 to 11 Years, up to Puberty

  5. Genital Stage: Puberty to Adulthood

Oral Stage: Birth to 18 Months

  • Duration: Birth to 18 months

  • Pleasure Center: Mouth

    • Activities such as chewing, sucking, and biting are primary sources of pleasure.

Oral Fixation

  • If fixation occurs at this stage, individuals may exhibit behaviors such as overeating, smoking, or nail-biting later in life.

Anal Stage: 18 Months to 3 Years

  • Duration: 18 months to 3 years

  • Erogenous Zone: Anus

    • Pleasure is derived from controlling bladder and bowel movements.

    • Major conflict: Toilet training.

Phallic Stage: 3 to 6 Years

  • Duration: 3 to 6 years

  • Focus of Pleasure: Genitalia

    • Masturbation is common during this period.

Oedipal Complex & Electra Complex

  • Oedipal Complex: Boys’ feelings of desire for their mother and jealousy towards their father.

  • Electra Complex: Girls’ feelings of desire for their father and jealousy toward their mother.

Resolution of the Oedipus Complex

  • Involves identifying with the same-sex parent, leading to the development of gender identity.

The Latency Stage: 7 to 11 Years

  • Duration: From age 7 to puberty

  • Characteristics: No significant new conflicts or sexual impulses.

    • Activities focused on school, athletics, and same-sex friendships.

The Genital Stage: Puberty to Adulthood

  • Duration: From puberty onward

  • Characteristics: Sexual impulses are directed towards individuals of the opposite sex.

    • Adolescents learn to engage in mutually satisfying sexual relationships.

When Conflict is Not Resolved

  • Failure to resolve conflicts at any stage may lead to fixation, resulting in various psychological problems as an adult.