Identify the ages during which each of Freud’s psychosexual stages of development are thought to occur, the name of each stage, the erogenous zone focused on during that stage, and the primary focus of attention during that stage.

What will be an ideal response?

Freud thought that people progressed through five psycho sexual stages of development, each of which involved preoccupation with an erogenous zone (e.g., a bodily source of pleasure) and a focus of attention that needed to be resolved in order to successfully progress to the following stage. From birth to about one-and-a-half years of age, children are in the oral stage of development, where the mouth is the erogenous zone providing pleasure, and the focus of attention is on sucking, chewing, and exploring the environment with the mouth. From one-and-a-half to three years children enter the anal stage. Here the source of pleasure is the anus, as children learn to control their bodily functions and successfully master toilet training. The phallic stage takes place between the ages of three to six years, as children explore their genitals and begin to experience sexual feelings. Freud thought that both the Oedipus Complex and Electra Complex developed during this stage. A latency period occurs between six years and puberty. The child focuses on developing same-sex friendships while growing physically and intellectually, and no erogenous zone is activated. Finally, the period from puberty to death comprises the genital stage. Genitals are again the focus of pleasure, as a rebirth of sexuality takes place and sexual urges are other-directed toward appropriate targets.