1. Freud’s Stages of Psychosexual Development
By Andrew James Woodson
&
Samuel Robert Skovrinski

2. The Oral Stage
The Oral stage is a part of an infants life, where their primary source of interaction is using their mouth.
The child receives pleasure from oral stimulation.
Children feel gratification/pleasure from things like tasting and sucking
This is also the stage where the infant begins to trust and feel close to the mother, as a result of the oral stimulation.

3. The Anal Stage
In the anal stage, Freud believed that “the primary focus of the libido is to control bowel and bladder movements.”
The main conflict of the stage is to conquer toilet training
It is important that children learn how to deal with their bodily needs
Children who are able to control their bodily functions develop a sense of independence and confidence

4. The Anal Stage
Freud believed that success of this stage is dependent on how the parents of the child handle the task of toilet-training.
Parents who use praise and rewards at the appropriate times, used to encourage the children, are more likely to success as a result.
Freud believed that when people have a positive experience during this stage in life, they are more likely to become “competent, productive, and creative adults later in life.

5. The Phallic Stage
During this stage the main focus of the libido is on the genitals
Boys in this stage derive pleasure from their genitals
This is also the stage in life where children learn the difference between Male and Female.
This is the stage where Freud believed that boys enter the beginning stage of the “Oedipus Complex”
They begin to see their fathers as rivals

6. The Oedipus Complex
Freud believed that all boys go through a stage in life where they get feelings of desire for their mother, and begin to feel jealousy or a rivalry towards their fathers.
The boy begins to experience feelings to posses his mother and to take the place of his father
The “Electra Complex” is basically the same desire for the parent of the opposite sex, but it focuses on the feelings of young girls.

7. The Latent Period
The Latent Period is a stage in life where the desires of the Libido are suppressed.
This is the stage where the ego and superego are very active.
This stage in life usually starts around the time that children enter school
They become more focused on relationships with other kids their age.
They also find more interest in hobbies or other activities.

8. The Genital Period The last stage in Psychosexual development.
This is the stage where children begin to feel strong sexual interest in the opposite sex.
This stage has a main focus on other people, while the other stages were mainly focused on self needs
This stage is important in creating a balance between the different life areas