Psychosexual Development (Noun)
Meaning
(psychoanalysis) the process during which personality and sexual behavior mature through a series of stages: first oral stage and then anal stage and then phallic stage and then latency stage and finally genital stage.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- According to Freud, psychosexual development is a critical component of human psychological growth and maturation.
- The psychosexual development of children is influenced by their interactions with their caregivers and environment.
- During the phallic stage of psychosexual development, children begin to experience feelings of desire and guilt related to their genitals.
- The latency stage of psychosexual development is characterized by a decrease in overt sexual behavior and an increase in social and intellectual pursuits.
- Understanding psychosexual development is essential for psychoanalysts to diagnose and treat psychological disorders related to sexual dysfunction and personality disturbances.