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24th November 2023
Sexual Development
Sexual development is a complex and multifaceted process that begins in infancy and continues throughout the lifespan. It involves a wide range of biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to the formation of an individual’s sexual identity and behaviour.
Freud’s theory of psychosexual development
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) proposed the notion that all humans are born with an innate sex drive, otherwise known as the libido, that creates tension if it remains unsatisfied. To comprehend the development of personality in the early stages of life, Freud devised a theory which comprises five phases. Each of these stages can be distinguished by certain gratifications and conflicts. Infants first experience a state of self-absorption, gaining pleasure from bodily activities, which is followed by an emergence of love towards objects and individuals outside of themselves. If a child is not able to work through the challenges of a certain stage, they can become hindered in psychosexual growth, which can result in the development of certain traits in adulthood.
It’s important to note that Freud’s theory of psychosexual development is controversial and has been criticised by many modern psychologists. It should be understood as a historical perspective on human development rather than a scientifically validated theory.
| Stage | Age Range | Major
Developmental Tasks |
Source of pleasure | Conflicts | Fixation |
| Oral | Birth to 18 months. | Weaning | The infant experiences pleasure through actions such as suckling and placing objects in their mouth. | Infants may have a strong attachment and affection for their mother’s breast during nursing, but they may also experience an aggressive impulse to bite or spit. | It may manifest as orally aggressive or orally passive traits in later life, such as overeating, smoking, or chewing gum. |
| Anal | 18 months to 3 years | Toilet training | Anal sensation, retentiveness or expulsiveness | The child needs to achieve a certain level of control over their anal sphincter in order to prevent the embarrassment of soiling themselves, which is related to the desire to please authority figures and maintain orderliness. However, they should not exert too much control as this can result in faecal retention. | If the child is punished or overly controlled during this stage, they may develop an excessive need for orderliness, cleanliness, and control, which can contribute to the development of Anankastic (obsessive-compulsive) personality traits later in life. On the other hand, if the child is allowed too much freedom during this stage, they may develop a lack of self-control and become messy and disorganised. Thus, an individual’s experience during the anal stage can have lasting effects on their personality and behaviour in adulthood. |
| Stage | Age Range | Major
Developmental Tasks |
Source of pleasure | Conflicts | Fixation |
| Phallic | 3 to 6 years | Oedipus or Electra complex, identification with the same-sex parent | Manipulation of penis | Castration anxiety or penis envy | The persistence of the Oedipus complex beyond the phallic stage is due to the child’s identification with the same-sex parent. In order to resolve the Oedipus complex, the child must identify with the same-sex parent and internalise their gender identity, which involves adopting the same-sex parent’s attitudes, values, and behaviours. Freud believed that unresolved Oedipal conflicts could result in neurosis, anxiety, and other psychological problems. |
| Latency | 6 years to puberty | Developing social and intellectual skills | Temporary suspension of the psychosexual impulses that were active in the phallic stage. | None | Freud believed that during the latency stage, the energy of sexual impulses was not completely dissipated but instead channelled into other activities, such as learning, play, and socialisation. |
| Genital | Puberty to adulthood | Development of mature sexual relationships | Sexual drive returns with increased strength | Improper resolution of previous stages | If earlier stages of psychosexual development were not resolved adequately, this could ultimately result in frigidity or unsatisfactory relationships. |
References
- West, D. J. (2000). Controversies surrounding Freud’s theory of infantile sexuality: Evidence-based reflections. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 29(6), 559-573.
- Freud, S. (1905). Three essays on the theory of sexuality. In J. Strachey (Ed. & Trans.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 7, pp. 125-245). Hogarth Press. (Original work published 1905)
- Johnson, R. M. (2019). Freud’s psychosexual development theory revisited: Relevance for contemporary psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 36(2), 109-119.
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