Psychosexual development theory is a model proposed by Sigmund Freud to explain how personality takes shape in childhood. The theory holds that personality is influenced by early experiences and that each stage carries its own developmental task.
Stages of development
Freud divides development into five stages, according to where pleasure and interest are mainly directed:
- Oral stage (0–1.5 years): Dependence, feeding and the first relationship with a caregiver are at the centre of this stage.
- Anal stage (1.5–3 years): Control, autonomy and boundaries come to the fore.
- Phallic stage (3–6 years): Curiosity, identity, and rivalry and closeness in the relationship with parents come to the fore.
- Latency stage (6–12 years): Learning, school and friendships take priority.
- Genital stage (from adolescence): The process of becoming independent and forming adult relationships begins.
How is it read today?
Today the theory is read not as literal reality, but as a historical framework for thinking about how early relationship experiences may affect later life. Contemporary psychodynamic approaches have updated and limited many aspects of it.
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