Oral Stage (Noun)
Meaning
(psychoanalysis) the first sexual and social stage of an infant's development; the mouth is the focus of the libido and satisfaction comes from suckling and chewing and biting.
Classification
Nouns denoting time and temporal relations.
Examples
- The infant's aggressive behavior during the oral stage is a manifestation of the struggle to assert independence and control.
- According to Freud, the oral stage is the first stage of psychosexual development, during which the infant's primary source of pleasure is the mouth.
- During the oral stage, the infant's sense of trust and security is established through the nurturing and feeding provided by the primary caregiver.
- The oral stage is characterized by the infant's tendency to put everything in their mouth, as they explore their environment through sucking and chewing.
- Fixation at the oral stage can lead to oral behaviors such as smoking or overeating in adulthood, as the individual seeks to recreate the comfort and security of infancy.