Anal stage

A stage in Freudian psychosexual development

Anal stage

The anal stage is the second stage in Sigmund Freud's theory of psychosexual development, which occurs between the ages of 18 months and 3 years. During this stage, the primary focus of the libido is on controlling bladder and bowel movements. Freud believed that the experience of toilet training was crucial to the development of the ego, and that the manner in which parents handled toilet training could have lasting effects on the child's personality.

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Diagram illustrating the id, ego, and super-ego

Characteristics

During the anal stage, children begin to assert their independence and develop a sense of personal control. The major conflict at this stage is toilet training, which represents a struggle between the child's biological urges and the demands of the external world. Successful resolution of this conflict leads to a sense of accomplishment and independence.

Freud suggested that the way in which parents approach toilet training can lead to different personality outcomes:

• Anal-retentive personality: If parents are too strict or begin toilet training too early, the child may become fixated at this stage, leading to an anal-retentive personality. Characteristics of this personality type include orderliness, stinginess, and stubbornness.

• Anal-expulsive personality: If parents are too lenient, the child may develop an anal-expulsive personality, characterized by messiness, destructiveness, and a lack of self-control.

Role of the Ego

The ego begins to develop during the anal stage as the child learns to balance the demands of the id with the realities of the external world. The ego acts as a mediator between the impulsive desires of the id and the moralistic demands of the super-ego, which begins to form in later stages.

Related pages

• Psychosexual development
• Oral stage
• Phallic stage
• Latency stage
• Genital stage
• Id, ego, and super-ego