Chapter Two: Psychosexual Stages Flashcards
How did Freud derive the theory of the psychosexual stages of development?
From his own childhood memories along with the memories of his adult patients.
What is each stage defined by?
A zone of the body sensitive to sexual stimulation.
Why would someone be unable to move to the next stage?
Conflict is unresolved, or the needs have been over satisfied by a parent that the child does not want to move on.
What happens with fixation?
A portion of libido or energy remains in that stage; this leaves less energy for next stages.
When is the oral stage?
From birth to age one.
What are the characteristics of oral stage?
Pleasure is derived from sucking and id is dominant.
What zone is the oral stage focused on?
The mouth.
What are the types of oral stage?
Oral incorporative/passive and oral aggressive.
What is oral incorporative/passive behaviour for the child?
It occurs first and involves pleasurable stimulation of the mouth by other people and food.
What are adults like that are fixated on oral incorporative behaviour?
Excessively concerned with oral activities. They are gullible, trusting, and optimistic.
What is oral aggressive behaviour for the child?
It occurs during the painful development of teeth. It is determined the mother is responsible for the pain.
What are adults like that are fixated on oral aggressive behaviour?
They are pessimistic, hostile, aggressive, sarcastic, and argumentative.
When is the anal stage?
Ages 1-3.
What are the characteristics of the anal stage?
Toilet training interferes with satisfaction of defecating.
What are the types of anal stage?
Anal retentive and anal aggressive/expulsive.
What is anal retentive behaviour for the child?
The child holds back and retains feces out of frustration. This produces pleasure and a new method to secure parents attention.
What are adults like that are fixated on anal retentive behaviour?
They are stubborn and stingy. They may hoard or retain things. People can be obsessively organized.
What is anal aggressive behaviour for the child?
When the child defecates wherever and whenever they should not. This is to defy regulation.
What are adults like that are fixated on anal aggressive behaviour?
Cruel, destructive, messy, sadistic. hostile and have poor regulation. They may consider people as objects.
When is the phallic stage?
Ages 4-5.
What zone is the phallic stage focused on?
The genitals.
What are the characteristics of the phallic stage?
The superego is developed. Genitals provide pleasure and children become curious of birth and genitals.
What are the types of phallic stage?
Boys: Oedipus complex and castration anxiety.
Girls: Electra complex and penis envy.
What is the Oedipus complex?
The unconscious desire of the child for the parent of the opposite sex. Along with the desire to replace or destroy the parent of the same sex.
How can you resolve Oedipus complex?
Identifying with the same sex parent. Adopting the parents mannerisms, behaviours, attitudes, and superego standards.
What happens in adults who are fixated on Oedipus complex?
Narcissism, vain, wanting attention, acts confident but is insecure, sleeps with a lot of women.
What is castration anxiety?
The fear that the child’s father will cut off his penis.
What is the electra complex?
The same as Oedipus complex but for girls.
What is penis envy?
When the girl believes she has lost her penis. She feels the loss because her sex organ is not in equal value to the male.
How can the electra complex be resolved?
Freud says it can never truly be resolved only partially by having a male child.
What happens to adults who are fixated on the electra complex?
They have poorly developed superegos. Narcissistic, focused on their looks, and uses femininity to charm men.
When does the latency stage happen?
5-puberty
What are the characteristics of the latency stage?
This is not a true stage. The sex instinct is placed into school activities, hobbies, sports, and developing same sex friendships.
When does the genital stage happen?
Adolescence-adulthood.
