Oral Phase: The first stage of psychosexual development is the oral stage, which lasts from the beginning of one’s life up to 2 years. During this stage, the focus of gratification is on the mouth and pleasure is the result of nursing, but also of exploration of the surroundings (as infants tend to put new objects in their mouths). In this stage the Id is dominant since neither the ego nor the super ego is yet fully formed. Thus the baby does not have a sense of self and all actions are based on the pleasure principle. The ego is under formation in this stage. A few things that contribute to Ego formation are development of body image and leaning of behaviors that lead to gratification (ie crying).
Anal Phase: In the anal stage of the psychosexual development the focus of drive energy (erogenous zone) moves from the upper digestive tract to the lower end and the anus. This stage lasts from about the 15th month to the third year of age. In this stage, the formation of ego continues.The major experience in this phase is potty training. It results to conflict between the child's id (pleasure principle), which asks for immediate gratification of its drive, and the demands of their parents.
Phallic Phase: The phallic stage extends from about three to five years of age, and the erogenous zone associated with it as the area of the genitals. Even though the gratification is focused on the genitals, this is not in the form of adult sexuality, since the children are physically immature. However, stimulation of genitals is welcomed as pleasurable and boys, like adult males, may have erections during their sleep. Children become increasingly aware of their body and are curious about the bodies of other children, but also their parents. Freud observed that children of this age can very often be observed taking off their clothes and playing “doctor” with each other, or asking their mothers whether she has a penis. These observations persuaded Freud that the gratification is focused on and around the genitals during this period. For a boy, his mother becomes more desirable and his father becomes the focus of jealousy because he sleeps with the mother. A girl will go on to develop penis envy, which is rooted in the fact that without a penis, the female cannot sexually possess the mother as driven to by the Id. As a result of this realization, she is driven to desire sexual union with the father.
Latency Phase: 6 years of age to puberty The drives of the Id are not accessible to the Ego during this stage of development, since they have been repressed during the phallic stage. Pleasure is mostly related to secondary process thinking. Drive energy is redirected to new activities, mainly related to schooling, hobbies and friends.
Genital Phases: This phase lasts from puberty onward until development stops at about age 18. This stage represents a major portion of life and the basic task for the individual is detachment from parents. In this stage, the focus is again on the genitals, like in the phallic stage, but this time the energy is expressed in terms of adult sexuality. Another crucial difference between these two stages is that, while phallic gratification is linked with satisfaction of primary drives, the ego in the genital stage is well-developed. It uses secondary process thinking, which allows for symbolic gratification. This symbolic gratification may include the formation of love relationships, development of families, or acceptance of responsibilities associated with adulthood.
Freud's Model of Psychosexual Development
ReplyDeleteOral Phase:
The first stage of psychosexual development is the oral stage, which lasts from the beginning of one’s life up to 2 years. During this stage, the focus of gratification is on the mouth and pleasure is the result of nursing, but also of exploration of the surroundings (as infants tend to put new objects in their mouths). In this stage the Id is dominant since neither the ego nor the super ego is yet fully formed. Thus the baby does not have a sense of self and all actions are based on the pleasure principle. The ego is under formation in this stage. A few things that contribute to Ego formation are development of body image and leaning of behaviors that lead to gratification (ie crying).
Anal Phase:
In the anal stage of the psychosexual development the focus of drive energy (erogenous zone) moves from the upper digestive tract to the lower end and the anus. This stage lasts from about the 15th month to the third year of age. In this stage, the formation of ego continues.The major experience in this phase is potty training. It results to conflict between the child's id (pleasure principle), which asks for immediate gratification of its drive, and the demands of their parents.
Phallic Phase:
The phallic stage extends from about three to five years of age, and the erogenous zone associated with it as the area of the genitals. Even though the gratification is focused on the genitals, this is not in the form of adult sexuality, since the children are physically immature. However, stimulation of genitals is welcomed as pleasurable and boys, like adult males, may have erections during their sleep. Children become increasingly aware of their body and are curious about the bodies of other children, but also their parents. Freud observed that children of this age can very often be observed taking off their clothes and playing “doctor” with each other, or asking their mothers whether she has a penis. These observations persuaded Freud that the gratification is focused on and around the genitals during this period. For a boy, his mother becomes more desirable and his father becomes the focus of jealousy because he sleeps with the mother. A girl will go on to develop penis envy, which is rooted in the fact that without a penis, the female cannot sexually possess the mother as driven to by the Id. As a result of this realization, she is driven to desire sexual union with the father.
Latency Phase: 6 years of age to puberty
The drives of the Id are not accessible to the Ego during this stage of development, since they have been repressed during the phallic stage. Pleasure is mostly related to secondary process thinking. Drive energy is redirected to new activities, mainly related to schooling, hobbies and friends.
Genital Phases:
This phase lasts from puberty onward until development stops at about age 18. This stage represents a major portion of life and the basic task for the individual is detachment from parents. In this stage, the focus is again on the genitals, like in the phallic stage, but this time the energy is expressed in terms of adult sexuality. Another crucial difference between these two stages is that, while phallic gratification is linked with satisfaction of primary drives, the ego in the genital stage is well-developed. It uses secondary process thinking, which allows for symbolic gratification. This symbolic gratification may include the formation of love relationships, development of families, or acceptance of responsibilities associated with adulthood.