The Psychosexual Stages

The psychosexual stages, proposed by Freud, describe phases of personality development centered on different body zones that are sources of pleasure. These stages are: oral (0-1 year), where pleasure is from the mouth; anal (1-3 years), focusing on toilet habits; phallic (3-6 years), involving sexual feelings and identity; latency (6-12 years), a period of social and skill development; and genital (adolescence onward), where individuals seek mature sexual relationships. Successfully navigating each stage contributes to healthy personality development, while fixation can result in specific adult traits or behaviors.