Question

Out of all of Freud’s stages which one did you find most interesting. In your answer you must first describe the stage and also include what could happen if you get fixated at this stage.

Answer 1

• Freud has given 5 stages of psychosexual development,namely,oral,anal,phallic,latency and genital.
• Each stage is interesting in its own way since,each of them represents a fixation of libido,which is the sexual energy directed towards a particular erogenous zone.Freud believed that the tension we face during these stages happens because of build up libido and its discharge helps us to derive pleasure.
• Each stage has a psychological conflict which needs to be resolved to go on to the next stage.Both underindulgence and overindulgence can cause fixation at a particular stage.
• I think the most interesting the the phallic stage,which talks about the Oedipus and Electra complexes.Freud talked about how a young boy has sexual feelings towards his mother,and feels -jealous of this father.The same applies to a girl child,who feels jealous of her mother,and has feelings for her father and experiences male genital envy.
• When a boy identifies with their father,out of fear of castration,they develop masculine characteristics and repress their sexual feelings for their mother.The same goes for a girl as well,who starts identifiying with her mother and develops feminine characteristics.
• A fixation at this stage could result in sexual deviancies,both overindulging and underindulging, and weak or confused sexual identity according to psychoanalysts,when a person grows up to be an adult.As adults people do develop fear,coming out with their sexual identities or even accepting who they are because of how society and even their own family would judge them.
• They start feeling that something is wrong with them and start repressing their true sexual identities causing a conflict.We have seen so many cases like these,where a person is discriminated on th basis of their sexual identity.
• Though I dont agree with Freud's concepts,but it is interesting to know about,since it might explain to a certain extent,an adult becoming confused and afraid to accept themselves the way they are and be comfortable with their sexual identity.