Psychosexual Psychology Freud

Over time one question has plagued mankind, how did we come to be who we are? One man who tried to answer this question was Sigmund Freud; he believed people developed in four stages and one time out period. His basic psychosexual theory, which is the oldest theory, explains how the stages we develop in are based on erogenous zones, which are areas of pleasure on the body. Each stage has a conflict to overcome if the conflict is handled well then we move on to the next stage without any emotional issues, but if through this stage conflict we are frustrated or overindulged then we may become fixated on that certain stage.

The basic stage is the oral stage; the erogenous zone is the mouth. Freud believed this stage begins at birth and ends at about age one. The conflict is weaning, or the removal of the bottle.

Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis, smoking ...

Statue of Sigmund Freud in London, with the Tavist...

Jacques Lacan criticized ego psychology and object...

The effects of fixation if frustrated, given food too soon, may be a series of bad habits when they get older such as nail biting, thumb sucking, overeating, pen biting or alcohol abusing. If the child is overindulged, waited too long to remove the bottle, the person may become spoiled and they and expect the world to take care of them.

Freud's second stage is called the anal stage. The erogenous zone is the anus. The conflict is potty training. If a child is a counter attacker at this time which means they release their bowels at the most inappropriate times then Freud believed they grow up to be an anal aggressive adult, which means they may have anger issues. If a child suffers from anal retention which means they refuse to go to release their bowels then Freud believed they grow up to be an anal retentive adult which...