Freud's five stages of psychosexual development

Oral Stage

This Stage lasts from birth to around 18 months. The mouth is the focus of pleasure. If fixated at the oral stage because of frustration, either is not nursed or if nursing stops too soon, the adult is envious, pessimistic and sarcastic. If the child is overindulged, with too much nursing the adult is optimistic, admiring of others and gullible. The oral character can be either of these things.

The genital stage

This stage is the fifth stage and starts with puberty. The libido focus again on the genita.s, as in the phallic stage, and there is a formation of hertosexual friendships and relationships.

The Latency Period

This stage is not really a psycho-sexual stage of development because there is no sexual drive in this period. It is a resting period, with regression of desires. Children from same-sex friendship and focus on school and sport

The Phallic Stage

This stage is the third stage and the erogenous zone or focus of pleasure is the gnetial region. This lasts from around to three to five years. In this stage boys can experience the Oedipus Complex (Electra complex for girls). Through the oedipus complex boys adopt their gender behaviour. An adult fixated at the phallic stage would develop a phallic character - self assured, reckless, vain and proud. They might also be incapable of loving someone. Freud also suggested that fixation at this stage was the reason for homosexuality

Anal Stage

This stage lasts from around one and half to two and a half years old. Toilet training brings a focus of pleasure on the anus with expulsion or retention of feces. If parents are too lenient and the child gets pleasure from making a mess, the adult will form an anal expulsive character, and is messy, reckless and disorganised. If the child refuses to go and that is not overcome, the adult will develop an anal retentive character, because the child has gained pleasure from holding back. An anal retentive character is obstinate, careful and precise