Freud’s Psychosexual Theory Review

Freud's Psychosexual Theory

  • Freud’s psychosexual theory posits that personality develops through a series of stages in childhood.

  • If an individual does not successfully resolve issues during any particular stage, they may become "fixated," indicating that unresolved conflicts lead to energy being redirected towards balancing the personality.

Stage I – The Oral Stage

  • Duration: Birth to 18 months

  • Focus of Libido: Pleasure is found primarily in oral activities such as:

    • Oral gratification

    • Sucking on the breast or bottle

    • Placing objects in the mouth

  • Conflict: The major conflict during this stage arises when the child is weaned off the mother’s breast.

  • Signs of Fixation: Possible adult consequences of unresolved issues in this stage include:

    • Overeating

    • Pessimism

    • Smoking

    • Envy

    • Gullibility

    • Suspicion

Stage II – The Anal Stage

  • Duration: 18 months to 3 years

  • Focus of Libido: Pleasure is derived from bowel control, including:

    • Pleasure from expulsion of feces

    • Pleasure from retention of feces

  • Conflict: This stage revolves around the process of potty training.

  • Adult Characteristics from Fixation::

    • Anal-expulsive: Characterized as messy, often gravitating towards jobs like building.

    • Anal-retentive: Characterized as stubborn and overly tidy.

Stage III – The Phallic Stage

  • Duration: 3 to 6 years

  • Focus of Libido: During this stage, the child becomes aware of their sexual organs and experiences emotions surrounding a love-hate relationship with their same-sex parent.

  • Significance: This stage is considered the most crucial in Freud’s developmental model.

  • Conflict: The primary conflicts include the Oedipus complex (for boys) and the Electra complex (for girls).

  • Signs of Fixation: Potential behavioral outcomes in adulthood from unresolved conflicts include:

    • Recklessness or fear of love

    • Narcissism

    • Potential for being self-assured or selfish

    • Poor relationships with the opposite sex

Stage IV – The Latency Stage

  • Duration: Age 6 to puberty

  • Characteristics: During this stage, the sexual drive is largely dormant. Libidal energy is redirected towards non-sexual activities such as:

    • Asexual pursuits, e.g., school activities and same-sex friendships

  • Social Dynamics: Individuals typically have few friendships with the opposite sex during this stage.

  • Signs of Fixation: A potential consequence of fixation might be a lack of close interpersonal friendships.

Stage V – The Genital Stage

  • Duration: During adolescence

  • Focus of Libido: The focus turns towards dating and sexual relationships with the intent of marriage.

  • Emotional Development: The greater the amount of libidal energy that has been developed through previous stages, the better capacity the individual has for forming mature relationships with the opposite sex.

  • Signs of Fixation: Possible adult symptoms from fixation at this stage include:

    • Guilt about sexuality

    • Feelings of inadequacy

    • Poor sexual relationships

    • Anxiety related to the opposite sex

Summary of Fixation

  • Key Point: Frustration occurs when basic needs are not met, while overindulgence happens when needs are excessively fulfilled.

  • Implication of Fixation: Fixation at any stage can manifest due to either frustration or overindulgence, leading to that stage's characteristics dominating the individual’s adult personality.