In the stages of human development , you must go through several phases until you reach all the objectives set to feel a rewarding emotional satisfaction , which also includes psychosexual development , which must adapt your internship through the experience of different stages.
In this article, we explain what psychosexual development consists of and describe its stages.
What is psychosexual development?
Psychosexual development is a concept from Sigmund Freud ‘s school of psychoanalysis (1) , which results from the combination of the biological maturation of the individual and the learning acquired through experiences, generating changes in sexual behavior and personality. , from the time he is a baby throughout his life and into adulthood.
In this sense, according to Freud ‘s psychosexual development, there are strong biological impulses that arise from the unconscious system related to sexuality, which somehow stimulate the behavior of human beings .
Note: Psychosexual development inevitably implies that the human being must go through various stages with maturity, the satisfaction of which varies as each one is overcome.
In this context, the order of overcoming the stages must be followed according to a pre-established order , however what can determine the length of stay in each one of them is the maturation reached.
What are the stages of psychosexual development?
To present a more analytical view of the concept of psychosexual development, Freud proposed the following 5 stages (2) , through which people must go to achieve complete personality development . We describe them below:
1. Stage oral
The oral stage is the first phase of the evolution of libido (sexual desire or impulse), which goes from 0 to 2 years of age. This stage, in turn, is divided into two phases:
The first is one in which the child and his periods of conscious attention are limited to nutritional experiences such as hunger, lactation, satiety, internal noises that when they are not satisfied, anxiety arises due to the lack of vital provisions.
To highlight: Sexual pleasure is linked to the excitement of the oral cavity and lips, which is accentuated when the child’s lips come into contact with the mother’s nipple.
In the second phase, the ability to assume a more active and specific attitude arises. In the child the pleasure develops and matures because the teeth are born and can experience pleasant sensations when biting .
2. Anal stage
The anal stage is the second stage of psychosexual development and the evolution of libido, which can be between 2 and 4 years of age.
The beginning of this stage is indicated because better formed excrements appear in the child, because the muscular system has developed and the social environment demands control of their evacuations.
You should know: At this stage, the child’s libido is organized around the anal erogenous zone and pleasure is linked to the defecation function and the symbolic value of feces.
3. Phallic stage
This phallic and drive phase is found between 3 and 6 years of age , and its associated erogenous zone is that of the genitals, as well as the main pleasurable sensation would be urination .
Curiosity about the sexual differences between men and women, boys and girls, would also originate, starting with the obvious differences in the shape of the genitals. In the same way, at this stage the “Oedipus Complex” arises . (3)
4. Latency stage
The latency stage is the fourth of psychosexual development and can be from 7 years of age until puberty. It is characterized by not having a specific erogenous zone associated with sexuality, therefore it is considered a stage in which the evolution of sexuality stops .
Note: This stage has been associated according to Freud, with the appearance of modesty and shame related to sexuality.
5. Genital stage
This stage commonly appears with puberty and continues into adulthood, so it is associated with the physical and biological changes that accompany adolescence.
In this sense, the desire related to sexuality in this stage becomes so intense that it is impossible to repress it as in previous stages and the erogenous zone associated with sexuality is once again that of the genitals, which is why it is considered the stage where adult sexuality is truly born .
To highlight: Psychosexual development belongs to the set of “Human Development Theories” , which include Wallon ‘s theory , psychosocial development theory , moral development and sociocultural learning .
Key Findings
- Psychosexual development is a concept that belongs to the school of psychoanalysis.
- Psychosexual development results from the combination of the biological maturation of the individual and the learning acquired through experiences.
- This combination of biological and cognitive elements generates changes in sexual behavior and in the individual’s personality.
- Psychosexual development comprises 5 stages that span from birth to adulthood.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.