STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
What is the process by which an individual’s psyche system grows and functions to shape his personality and dictate his behaviour? The following ideas and opinions put forth by Freud can be used to answer the question.
Another important aspect of Freud’s theory is the theory of human sexual development. He says that there are two primal forces in the human mind, one is Eros and the other is Thanatos. The work of one of these two forces is harmony and the work of the other is to lead to extinction. Among them, Freud called the main center of vitality the libido.
According to this concept, the power that is working in the development of human life is this sexual instinct. His theory has been criticized by many thinkers. But Freud did not use the term sexuality in a narrow sense. He defines sex as self-love, love for parents, love in the broadest sense. According to Freud, personality develops through the development of sexuality.
Freud described several stages in the development of this sexual energy :-
1. AUTO EROTIC STAGE :-
a) ORAL EROTIC STAGE ( BIRTH TO 12 MONTH) :- At this level, the baby satisfies the sexual urge through the sensation of the lips when drinking breast milk.
b) ANAL EROTIC STAGE ( 1 TO 3YRS ) :- At this level, the sexual urge is satisfied by the sensation that the child gets in the anus while defecating.
c) PHALLIC PHASE (3 – 6YRS) :- Between the ages of 3 and 6 is when a child goes through this stage, according to Freud, the sexual energy of the child is satisfied through its normal bodily organs. Children go through this stage where they grow more conscious of their bodies.
2. ALLO-EROTIC STAGE :-
At the next level of auto erotic stage, the child’s sexual desire is transferred from his body to other objects to be fulfilled. Children naturally first select the parent as an outsider, and two types of complications arise in children:-
a) OEDIPUS COMPLEX :- Boys are naturally attracted to mothers. They prefer to sleep near the mother, all their affections are centered on the mother. These desires are all sexually oriented but completely unconscious. Boys consider fathers as rivals.
b) ELECTRA COMPLEX:- Similarly, girls are attracted to fathers. Girls develop hatred towards their mothers.
But later boys show attachment to father and girls show attachment to mother. Children identify themselves with parents.
3. LATENCY PERIOD :-
In the latency stage, children block their sexual drives and focus on other things like school, friendships, and hobbies instead of sexual problems, according to Freud’s theory. As a defence mechanism against the tensions and anxieties that develop during the phallic stage, especially those associated with the Oedipus or Electra complex, Freud thought that this redirection of energy serves one purpose.
4. NARCISSISTIC STAGE :-
With the onset of puberty, the feeling of self-love can be observed temporarily in the child’s life. Attraction towards one’s body structure, one’s sexual organs, etc. can be noticed. Its duration is very short.
5. HETEROSEXUAL STAGE :-
In full puberty the sexual energy seeks to find its natural satisfaction. Sexual desire seeks to be satisfied through the sexual senses; Naturally attracted to the opposite sex. This stage is the mature stage of sexual development.
Finally, it can be said that there are many deviations from this normal development of sexuality, due to these deviations, various maladaptive behaviors are seen in children. The path of development of sexual energy is blocked at different levels. Then the sexual power does not develop. Freud called this phenomenon fixation of libido.
