Overview: Freud proposed that as humans grow, they pass through five stages of psychosexual development, each focusing on different erogenous zones. These are:
Oral
Anal
Phallic
Latency
Genital
Libido: A term used by Freud to describe the sex drive or sexual energy focused at different erogenous zones during each phase.
Stages of Psychosexual Development
Oral Stage (0-1 year)
Focus: Oral pleasure from sucking mothers' breast or a bottle.
Conflict: Weaning from the primary caregiver.
Outcomes:
Trauma during this stage may lead to oral fixations like dependencies or addictions.
Examples:
Hans: No trauma, becomes healthy.
Ernst: Early weaning, leads to dependence on oral stimulation (e.g., chewing gum).
Ida: Denied oral stimulation, develops manipulative and addictive personality.
Anal Stage (1-3 years)
Focus: Control of bladder and bowel movements.
Conflict: Toilet training.
Outcomes:
Positive experiences lead to competence and good relationships with authority.
Examples:
Hans: Gradual toilet training, becomes balanced.
Ernst: Strict training, becomes anal-retentive.
Ida: Neglected training, becomes anal-expulsive.
Phallic Stage (3-6 years)
Focus: Discovering gender differences.
Conflict: Oedipus complex in boys and penis envy in girls.
Outcomes:
Resolving these conflicts leads to healthy gender role identification.
Examples:
Hans: Positive father presence, resolves conflict.
Ernst: Absent father, unresolved issues.
Ida: Develops inferiority complex.
Latency Stage (7-13 years)
Focus: Suppression of libido and development of life skills.
Outcomes: Strengthening of the super-ego and identification with social values and heroes.
Examples:
All children benefit from skills developed during this phase.
Genital Stage (Puberty to Death)
Focus: Emerging adult sexuality and interest in sexual partners.
Outcomes:
Healthy development leads to strong ego, fulfilling relationships, and balanced life.
Examples:
Hans: Strong ego, balanced desires.
Ernst: Weak ego, leads to perversions.
Ida: Weak ego and superego, disregards social norms.
Freud's Theory of the Mind
Unconscious Mind: Stores memories of early experiences influencing behavior.
Mind Structure: Compared to a submarine.
Unconscious Level: Id.
Preconscious Level: Superego.
Conscious and Preconscious Level: Ego.
Development:
Id: Present at birth, demands immediate satisfaction.
Superego: Develops around age 7, seeks morality.
Ego: Balances id and superego, develops in adolescence.
Applications and Reflections
Psychoanalysis: Revealing traumatic memories through conversation to free from neuroses.
Freud's View: Complexes should not be eliminated but understood as they direct behavior.
Discussion Points:
Existence and influence of the unconscious.
Impact of childhood experiences on adult behavior.
Additional Information
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