The five stages of psychosexual development are: (1) oral, (2) anal, (3) phallic,
(4) latency, and (5) genital. In order to appreciate Freud’s theory, it is necessary to
introduce a concept he employed called libido.Libido is thought of as psycho-
sexual energy, and Freud hypothesized that it is invested in different zones of the
body during the various stages of psychosexual development. These zones, or
areas, of the body are called the erogenous zones,and they are associated with
sexual pleasure. The principal erogenous zones are the oral, anal, and genital areas
of the body.(a) The term refers to the development of a sexual identity, attitudes toward
sexual behavior, and emotional reactions to sexual stimuli.(b) Freud thought of as psychosexual energy.
(c) Zones of the body associated with sexual pleasure are called zones.Answers: (a) psychosexual development; (b) libido; (c) erogenous.The oral stagelasts for about two years (infancy). During this stage the infant
obtains a substantial amount of pleasure from sucking, biting, chewing, and so
forth.
The anal stagelasts for about one or two years (the stage of the toddler).
During the anal stage the toddler obtains a substantial amount of pleasure from, at
times, withholding fecal matter and, at other times, expelling it. Note that this
stage coincides with the time at which most children are toilet trained.
The phallic stagelasts for about three years (the stage of the preschooler).
During the phallic stage the preschooler, according to Freud, obtains a substan-
tial amount of pleasure from self-stimulation of the phallus. The phallusin the
male is the penis. In the female it is the clitoris. The phallic stage ends at about
the age of six.(a) What psychosexual stage is associated with infancy?
(b) What psychosexual stage coincides with the time at which most children are toilet
trained?(c) In the male, the phallus is the. In the female, the phallus is the
.
Answers: (a) The oral stage; (b) The anal stage; (c) penis; clitoris.The latency stagelasts for about six years. It begins at age six or seven and
ends at age twelve or thirteen. In effect, it ends when puberty begins. The libido
has migrated from the oral to the anal to the phallic zone. Now it goes under-
ground and becomes, to surface appearance, dormant. The libido goes under-158 PSYCHOLOGY