Shedding Light On Freud s Controversial Psychoanalytic...

Shedding Light on Freud’s Controversial Psychoanalytic Theory Krystle D. Kraft St. Johns River State College: Human Growth and Development Shedding Light on Freud’s Controversial Psychoanalytic Theory Psychoanalytic theories suggest that developmental changes happen due to the power of internal drives and emotions. Sigmund Freud, a Viennese physician, is said to be the founding father of this theory. He believed biological impulses, such as a need for food and sex, were the driving impulses for personality development (Denise Boyd Helen Bee, 2012, p. 25). In fact, one of Freud’s most influential achievements was his psychosexual theory of personality development, which spawned a whirlwind of controversy. Freud believed that†¦show more content†¦Freud’s psychosexual theory consisted of five stages: oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital. The Oral Stage The oral stage occurs from birth to one year of age. Freud states that the libido focuses on the mouth, lips, and tongue. During this stage, the infant s primary source of interaction occurs through the mouth, so the rooting and sucking reflex is especially important. The mouth is vital for eating and the infant derives pleasure from oral stimulation through satisfying activities such as tasting and sucking. Since the child is dependent upon their parents, the child also develops a sense of trust and comfort through oral stimulation. (J. L Garcia, 1995, p. 498) In order to successfully complete this stage of development, one must learn to wean. If weaning is not successful, an adult may participate in oral behavior, such as, smoking and overeating (Boyd Bee, 2012, p. 26). The Anal Stage The anal stage occurs from one to three years of age. The focus of the libido lies in the anus. In order to successfully complete this stage of development, one must succeed in toilet training. If toilet training is unsuccessful, an adult may become disorganized or messy (Boyd Bee, 2012, p. 26) Toilet training creates a conflict as pleasure-seeking instinct goes up. If the expectations of a child are not met and a parent begins to pressure a child into toilet training, the child may begin to