|
Stage |
Focus |
Fixation |
|
Oral
(0-18 months) |
Stage of development in which the infant’s pleasure-seeking centers
on the mouth |
Overly optimistic & extremely dependent
OR
Pessimistic & hostile |
|
Anal
(18 months to 3 years) |
Here the infant’s pleasure focuses on bowel/bladder elimination. The
child must also cope with demands for control. |
Anal retentive: overly neat, precise, and orderly
OR
Anal expulsive: Messy, disorganized, and destructive |
|
Phallic
(3- 6 years) |
The child’s pleasure zone moves to the genitals. The child must deal
with incestuous feelings toward the parent of the opposite sex---the
Oedipus Conflict. |
Males may take great pride in their sexual prowess and
express contempt for women. Females may become overly flirtatious and
promiscuous. (These behaviors in both genders may actually be signs of
extremely low self-esteem.) |
|
Latency
(6 years to Puberty) |
All sexual and erotic feelings are repressed |
|
|
Genital
(Puberty on) |
Maturation of sexual instincts. |
|