According to Sigmund Freud, a newborn baby is full of energy. This energy is called libido which means psychic energy. At the time of birth, this energy does not have any clear focus. Psychic energy is an important concept in Freudian psychology. The structure of the mind and development all revolve around how the individual attempts to deal with psychic energy.

Freud believed that libido or psychic energy is the basic power that drives the mind. It is like a fuel for how we think, and behave. But the mind (like a car) needs to be well formulated and developed to work this fuel.

To understand how people grow and develop problems, Sigmund Freud said we should look at where this psychic energy goes and how it's used. Psychic energy can’t be created or destroyed, but it can be hidden or redirected in different ways.

As babies grow their energy begins to focus on different things. Freud believed that a baby first focuses on one thing for pleasure or satisfaction, then moves to another as they grow older. This shift in focus also changes how they seek happiness and comfort.

He proposed that all children are born with a maturation plan that calls for them to pass through a sequence of five psychosexual stages. These stages are:

1. Oral Stage: (Birth to two years of age)

During this stage, sucking, spitting, biting are the primary source of pleasure for a newborn. Everything goes in the mouth. A baby is very dependent and can do little for itself. When babies need properly fulfilled, they can move to the next stage.

If baby becomes fixated at this stage Freud felt that he or she would grow to be an oral character. Most of these people are extremely dependent and passive, want everything done for them. And another type of oral characters who are extremely independent. Under stress orally fixated person may flip form one type of the other.

2. Anal Stage: (2 to 4 years of age)

During this anal stage, a child’s focus shifts to the control of bodily funcitons, particularly bowel movements. Freud believed that during this phase a child’s pleasure became centred around anus. Psychologically the theme revolves around learning self-control and obedience.

Issue may arise if parents are overly controlling or too permissive. These experiences shape adult character traits, some might be overly organized, rigid (anally retentive), while others might be disorganized, hostile, have little self-control (anally expulsive).  

3. Phallic Stage: (4-6 years of age)

Phallic is come from the word, “Phalus” means penis. During this stage, spanning from 4 to 6 years of age, child’s focus shift to their genitals, particularly penis. Freud believed that boys and girls both focus on the penis, questioning why the boys have it and girls have not. Children became interested in playing with their genitals.

Psychologically, it revolves around the identification of morality and sexuality, understand gender roles and what it means to be a boy and girl. Children have sexual feeling for the opposite sexed parents at this stage, leading to Oedipus complex for boys (a Freudian theory where a young boy feels unconscious desire for his mother and rivalry toward his father) and the electra complex for girls (a counterpart theory where a young girl feels unconscious desire for her father and competition with her mother).

These conflicts are resolved through identification with the same sexed parents. According to Freud, the personality is largely shaped by the end of this phallic stage.

4. Latency Stage: (6 years to puberty)

After children repress their unacceptable impulses toward parents by identifying with the parents, they move into the next psychosexual stage. This stage lasts from roughly 6 years to puberty. It is called latency because the libido is dormant or latent.

The sexual and aggressive drives are less active and there is little in the way of psychosexual conflict. For this they are free to acquire many cultural skills and have a relatively carefree life.

5. Genital Stage: (post puberty)

During this genital stage, the psychological theme revolves around maturity and the creation and enhancement of life. So, this is not just about creating new life (reproduction) but also about intellectual and artistic creativity. The task is to learn how to add something constructive to life and society.

The genital character is not fixed at an earlier stage. This is the person who has worked it all out. This person is psychologically well-adjusted and balanced. According to Freud, to achieve this state you need to have a balance of both love and work.


Readings:

Crider, A. B., Goethals, G. R., Kavanaugh, R. D., & Solomon, P. R. (1989). Psychology (3rd ed.).
Feldman, R. S. (2021). Understanding psychology (14th ed.). McGraw Hill.
Freud, Sigmund (1991). On Sexuality: Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality and Other Works.    
    Penguin Books, Limited. ISBN 978-0-14-013797-2.
Freud, S. (1953–1974). The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (J. 
    Strachey, Ed. & Trans., Vols. 1–24). Hogarth Press. (Original works published 1886–1939)
Freud, S. (1933). New introductory lectures on psychoanalysis (J. Strachey, Trans.). W. W. Norton & 
    Company. (Original work published 1933)
Sarafino, E. P., & Armstrong, J. W. (1986). Child and adolescent development. Wadsworth Publishing.