PSYCHO-SEXUAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

BY
FREUD SIGMUND

What are psycho-sexual stages of development?

According to Freud Sigmund, this refers to childhood stages of development and the
accompanying psychological needs and satisfaction achieved in different parts of the body.

Relevance of the study of psychosexual stages of development?

 It helps us to understand child development stages
 It helps us to understand children’s psychological needs at different stages of
development
 It helps us to understand the centres of child pressure during the child’s development.
 It helps us to understand the key characteristic of a person at each stage of development.
 Helps us to understand problems that can arise if a child’s psychological needs are not
met.

During 1880’s, while in the medical practice, Freud Sigmund became interested a number of
patients and childhood traumas.

Based on his experience, Freud developed psycho-sexual theories and infantile theories and
looked at children and their needs in a totally different way.

Freud identified five psychosexual stages. They included the following:

(i) The Oral Stage

This is a development stage from 0- to 1 year of life.

Key characteristics
 The child’s pleasure is in the mouth. The mouth is the centre of pleasure.
 An infant or child uses its mouth not only to eat but also to understand the world.
 The child achieves a sense of gratification in the mouth through breast feeding and biting.
 All psyche activities are centered in the mouth.
 At this stage the Idi is at work and controls most of the child’s activities for survival.

Note that:
Pleasure that is derived from the mouth is described as “sexual”.
The word sexual in this context, refers to any sexual behavior occurring in childhood. To
understand, this counselors need to direct their observation to babies in their 1st year of life.
Freud’s theory of 1995 further revealed that problems can occur later in life if the infant’s
oral needs were not satisfied.

Socio-psychological needs and Effects

 An infant who has been weaned too early, as an adult may suffer from regression,
longing to be nurtured and cared for. Other fixation problems can also occur
 Also in adulthood such people may find other forms of oral gratification, if early
child feeding experience was inadequate.
 They may display hostile characteristics such as verbal aggression.
 They may develop low self esteem and fear.
 During adulthood they may be unable to sustain relationships.

(ii) Anal Stage

This stage runs through the child’s second year to the third year of life (1-3 yrs).
It doest happen that one stage stops abruptly and another begins. The oral and the anal
stages can overlap and may be present at the same time.

Key characteristics
 The child’s focus of pleasure switches to the sphincter muscles of the lower bowel
and the urinery system.
 Idi is still demanding the immediate relief of the bowel and the bladder
 The ego starts to exert power and control over the Idi.

Socio-psychological needs and effects

 Toilet training is a very important aspect of the child’s life
 Parents are concerned with toilet training and control of the child.
 Approval and praise is needed from parents and care takers

Note that:
Unconditional love at this stage is no longer give. But sometimes it depends on the child’s
behaviors.

The method of toilet training can have lasting effect on the child’s future development.

Parental attitudes to body functions are crucial at this stage and will influence the child’s
feelings later.

Example: a child will learn to retain feaces and urine during this stage.

Un resolved conflicts of the anal stage can result into later problems and create personality
types.

(iii) Phallic stage

This stage occurs between three and six years (3-6 yrs).

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Key characteristics
 A child is developing socially and is increasingly capable of making moral judgements of
what is right and wrong.
 The genital is the centre of pleasure.
 The super-ego is developing and at work of interpreting societal standards. This
determines the way the child deals with problems and conflicts.
 A child becomes aware of the sexual differences ie male or female.
 A child learns how is expected to behave as a male or female – in the context of gender
roles.

Social-psychological issues/needs
A child at this age begins to experience sexual feelings for their opposite sex parents,
according to Freud Sigmund. This is referred to as a stage of phallic for boys.

 At this stage a child wishes to get rid of the father who is a rival. Such hostile fantasies
in children create anxiety and also fear of retaliation by the father. As a result, the child
ends up repressing his desires for the mother.

Freud referred to this experience as Oedipus Complex – learning it from a Greek tragedy
of Oedipus Rex who killed his father to marry his mother.

Note that;
As a child represses his sexual desire for the mother, decides to identify himself with the
father, in order to resolve the situation and gain satisfaction. As time goes on he becomes
more like the father. He also begins developing male sex behaviors which he learns from
he father.

 Freud however, paid less attention to psychosexual development of girls. But, in the little
that was presented, he learnt that girls start with strong attachment to mothers and end up
as boys and later turn to fathers for love and affection. Then, they later identify
themselves with the mothers and copy their female gender roles. Freud referred to this as
Electra complex – in girls.

Lessons learnt and implications to counselors

From the counseling perspective, Many clients have had difficulty while going through the
stage of phallic. Whereby; they fail to express their emotions and sexual feelings in
particular during childhood.

In most cases, the above mentioned fantasies are punishable according to culture and not
freely expressed.

Children grow up with a lot of unresolved issues that were repressed which results into
adulthood psychological problems.

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Because of the unresolved conflicts at the stage of phallic, some people during adulthood fail
to maintain intimate relationships. Because of the barriers that were put forward to prevent
their endeavor to make strong relationships with their fathers.

Parents and care takers need to support the child for social development.

Parents and caretakers need to guide the child for personality development.

Counselors need to educate parents and care takers one how to go about the stage of phallic
and its challenges.

(iv) Latency stage

This is a development stage from six to twelve years of life.

Key characteristics
 During this stage, the person’s sexual feelings lie domant.
 Pleasure is nowhere in the body parts.
 The child’s sexual desires have been repressed. They will be re awakened in the next
stage and begin to make very powerful demands.
 The child’s energy is directed towards the development of social and intellectual skills
and enjoyment of recreational activities.
 The child’s attention is focused on education, hobbies, friendship with the same sex and
sports.
 The id, ego and super-ego have already been formed and the socialization process
continues.

Social psychological issues/needs

Children at this stage need the guidance of parents and caretakers for personality
development

Parents and care takers need to help children realize their potential.

Children need to be supported to develop social skills and intellectual abilities.

Counselors need to guide parents and care takers on how to go about the latency stage and its
challenges.

(v) Genital stage

This is the fifth developmental stage 12 – 18 years of live
This is a stage of adolescence. It continues into adult life.

Key characteristics:
 Body changes take place
 Pleasure is in the genitals
 The hormone levels change.
 Sexual interests re-emerge

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 The person develops interest in the opposite sex
 Harmony between the id, ego and super ego is disrupted.
 The id is greatly driving the individual.
 The id makes sexual demands impulsively.

Note: that:
It does not happen that the latency stage stops and genital stage develops.

Internal conflict arise when the id ego and super ego fail to operate in harmony

A person who is not helped/guided at this stage enters adult life with unresolved issues.

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 EVOLUTION OF FREUDIAN THEORY

Freudian theory continued to evolve/to expand and attracted attention of various people.

Note: that from the beginning Freudian ideas had caused controversy and dispute.

Some of the most significant reactions came from people who had worked closely with Freud,
who were impressed by his work but not entirely satisfied with what he taught.

Among those who disagreed with Freud Sigmund on several issues included Carl Jung and
Alfred Adler (the theorists.

The two developed their own personality theories and changed some of Freud’s important areas.

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 CARL JUNG (1875 – 1961)
Carl Jung moved away from the original psychoanalytic school in 1913. He formulated his own
theories, which he termed as ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY.

Jung and Freud disagreed on areas, which included sexuality, spiritual and cultural drives.

Jung and Freud’s comparative views

1. The conscious and un conscious

 In Freudian theory, it is important to make the unconscious conscious–if neurotic problems
are be effectively treated.

 According to Jung (Jungian theories), activities of the unconscious and conscious mind
should be coordinated. The fantasies of unconscious mind should be highlighted so that they
can be used to facilitate development of the individual.

2. The collective unconscious theory

 According to Jung’s collective unconscious theory, we inherit characteristics which are
manifested in our behaviors.

 While in Freud’s theories, childhood is the most important factor in shaping adult personality.

 Jung put less emphasis on individual’s past experiences. He placed more emphasis on the
way humans have developed historically. Jung in this case believed that ancestral history
shape the human brain. So that influences from the past are with us.

3. Dreams
 According to Carl Jung, dreams are regarded as an important source of information – and
material which can be used by the client/dreamer to develop self awareness.

 Jug regarded dreams as wish fulfillment. He also believed that dreams represent a
completion of the waking state. Meaning that, when and event or something is seen and
neglected during the day, the brain deals with it at night.

 Jung also believed that, in order to understand dreams, it is necessary to understand a series
of them and not just one.

 A dream can be of relevance to the dreamer and not to other people. He gave an interesting
example of the biblical dreams.

4. Carl Jung’s Achetypes

Here Jung is compared to Freud Sigmund in his presentation of the structure of personality

According to Jung, there are four Major Achetypes of the collective unconscious:
(i) The persona
(ii) The anima and animus

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(iii) The shadow
(iv) The self

(i) The persona

 According to Jung, this means a mask. This is the outward appearance of a person – which
people display in everyday life.

 Jung discovered that, in life people by their appearance are assigned specific attributes or
characteristics.

 Example 1: A policeman is meant to display attitudes of authority and reliability

(outwardly).

 Example 2: Artists are expected to be colorful

(ii) The anima and animus

 To Jung, the anima refers to the unconscious female quality in a male person.
 While the animus, refers to the unconscious male quality in a female person.
 Jung observed that, all individuals have opposite sex qualities, which they need to express -
in order to feel healthy.

 However, both anima and animus are often repressed – mainly due to sex roles, which are
promoted by society.

 Example 1: a man who speaks in a woman’s voice

 Examples 2: A woman who is muscleculous and demonstrates male
behaviors.
 Jung concluded that each human being carries within h/her an inherited image of the opposite
sex.

 He also stressed that the collective achetypes are projected on to other people whom the
person gets into contact with in life.

(iii) The shadow

 According to Jung, this is an inferior being within us.
 It is similar to Freud’s ID
 It operates unconsciously
 It is primitive
 It is reckless and uncontrollable
 Individuals tend to repress its actions

Note: According to Jung, the shadow, is not just destructive, it is also a source of
creativity.

It is harmful to deny the existence and activities of the shadow of the shadow.

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 When the shadow is severely repressed, it tends to grow in strength – and it
eventually emerges. Then, the individual will feel overwhelmed.

(iv) The self

 To Jung, this refers to a state of complete integration of all the separate elements of
personality.

 It is a state of acceptance of ones self (the good and bad qualities, which cannot be changed).
JUNGIAN THERAPY/COUNSELING APPROACH

The following aspects were noticed in Carl Jung’s counseling approach:

(i) Client/counselor relationship is cooperative.

(ii) The central goal of counseling is integration of all aspects of personality including
the anima, animus and the shadow.

(iii) The human psyche is regarded as much more complex.

It includes the important dimensions of the collective unconscious,
which is present from birth – before the individual has acquired any life
experiences.

(iv) Dreams are important in the Jungian therapy.

The first dream a client recounts is regarded as the starting point
for the therapeutic process.

(v) Client is asked to read recommended books. They are also given tasks to perform
including illustration of dreams – through painting or drawing.

(vi) Client’s spiritual awareness and spiritual development is also regarded as

important and discussed.

(vii) Client counselor relationship has to be warm, relaxed and informal.

(viii) Attention is also paid to the present and future life of the client but not just to the
past.

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 ALFRED ADLER –THE THEORIST
1870 – 1937

How Edler Emerged

 Alfred Adler also broke away from Freud Sigmund’s psychoanalytic school in 1911 – two
years earlier than Carl Jung.

 Alder disagreed with Freud Sigmund on issues of sexuality - as the major influence on
personality development.

 But he agreed with Freud about the significance of the unconscious mind and the forces it
contains.

 Edler set up his own school called “the individual psychology”

 The word individual highlights the distinctiveness or uniqueness of the human personality.

EDLER’S AREAS OF EMPHASIS

1. SOCIAL LIFE, COOPERATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS

 Edler emphasized the importance of social interest, as well as inter-relation with the
community - in which a person lives.

 According to Edler, people who are not interested in others, experience great difficulty in
life.
They are also bound to fail in their search for happiness.

 According to Edler, although each individual is distinctive and unique, all are members of a
human race – and to some extent dependent on other people. This makes social cooperation
imperative.

 Emotional survival depends on the realization that total individualism can never lead to
fulfillment.

 Edler however, discovered that in life each psychological problem is seen in the context of
individual’s association with others.

2. INFERIORITY COMPLEX CONCEPT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH

 This is one of the key discoveries of Alfred Adler in the individual psychology.

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 What is inferiority complex?: This refers to feelings of inferiority which people experience
when they find themselves in situations of inadequacy – which they need to improve.

 How does it come about?: Adler discovered that inferiority complex originated from early
childhood. The individual feels not recognized by adults and therefore seeks recognition.

 Every person in life experiences a sense of inferiority – and every person would want to
feel superior and recognized by others.

 To Edler, feelings of inferiority vary in degree for each individual – but individuals struggle
to achieve superiority.

 Feelings of inferiority are accompanied by stress as individuals struggle to get out of it or

cope with it.

 A person can try to achieve superiority through false means and selfish solutions.

 Example; an inferior person may seek superiority through manipulation, domination,

bullying etc – so that he/she can be recognized and respected.

 Edler concluded that, as life continues with its challenges, the final goal of superiority many
not be reached – but what matters is to strive to improve areas of inadequacy

3. FACTORS THAT LEAD TO INFERIORITY COMPLEX

There are various factors that lead to inferiority complex and psychological disturbance. They
may include the following:

 Birth order
 Position of the individual in the family
 Education level
 Economic factors
 Physical disability
 Gender/sex of a person
 Marital status
 Past traumatic situations
 Children brought up under threats - end up with low self esteem
 Etc……

The above mentioned factors, may lead to anxiety, loss of confidence and hope.

4. LIFE STYLE DEVELOPMENT

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 According to Edler, from childhood, individual develop a life-style in order to cope with
feelings of inferiority.

 Example: a person may struggle to change a weakness into a strength. Or try hard to
compensate a weakness with a certain character or behavior – but, which is socially
unacceptable. A coward person for instance, may decide to become bully. This can become a
person’s life-style through which he/she achieves personal goals.

Note: In individual psychology, it is believed that all human behavior(s)

has purpose.

5. INTERPRETATION OF PAST EVENTS

In individual psychology, Adler attached great importance on the way a person interprets h/her
past events and the meaning given to the experiences

Example; a person who had traumatic child experiences.

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