Describe the characteristics of persons fixated at the oral, anal, and phallic stages; and what situations cause them to develop, according to Freud

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER: Answer will include that fixations occur when a child does not pass successfully through a psychosexual stage, either because they were indulged or frustrated during their development. Fixation early in the oral stage produces an oral-dependent personality. Oral dependent people are gullible (they swallow things easily) and passive and need lots of attention (they want to be mothered and showered with gifts). Frustration later in the oral stage may cause aggression, often in the form of biting. Fixations here create cynical, oral-aggressive adults who exploit others. They also like to argue ("biting sarcasm"). Harsh or lenient toilet training can cause anal­ retentive and anal-expulsive, respectively. Freud described the anal-retentive (holding- on) personality as obstinate, stingy, orderly, and compulsively clean. The anal- expulsive (letting-go) personality is disorderly, destructive, cruel, or messy. Adult traits of the phallic personality are vanity, exhibitionism, sensitive pride, and narcissism (self- love). These develop between ages three and six as the child deals with increasing sexual interest.