Psychoanalytic theory

Psychoanalytic theory is related to the dynamics of personality development that underlie and guide the psychoanalytic and psychodynamic.

Instinct or unconscious motives and psychosexual level in the development of human being.

Freud thought that human behaviour, including violent behaviour, was the product of “unconscious” forces operating within a person’s mind. Freud also felt that early childhood experiences had a profound impact on adolescent and adult behaviour. Freud, for example, believed that conflicts that occur at various psychosexual stages of development might impact an individual’s ability to operate normally as an adult.

Freud believed that the human mind was composed of three elements: id, ego and superego.

The id is present in the newborn infant and consists of impulses, emotions, and desires. It demands instant gratification of all its wishes and needs. Since this is impractical, the ego develops to act as a practical interface or mediator between reality and the desires of the id. The final structure to develop is the superego, which is the sense of duty and responsibility – in many ways the conscience. 

The ego and the superego develop as the individual progresses through the five psychosexual

stages – oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital.

THE FIVE PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES

Oral stage (approximately birth to 1 year)

The infant's greatest satisfaction is derived from stimulation of the lips, tongue, and mouth. Sucking is the chief source of pleasure for the young infant.

Anal stage (approximately 1 to 3 years)

During this stage toilet or potty training takes place and the child gains the greatest psychosexual pleasure from exercising control over the anus and by retaining and eliminating feces.

Phallic stage (approximately 3 to 6 years)

This is the time when children obtain their greatest pleasure from stimulating the genitals. At this time boys experiences the Oedipus complex. This expression derives from the Greek myth in which Oedipus became infatuated with his mother. In the Freudian account the young boy develops sexual feelings toward his mother but realizes that his father is a major competitor for her (sexual) affections! He then fears castration at the hands of his father (the castration complex) and, in order to resolve this complex, he adopts the ideas of his father and the superego (the conscience) develops. 

Latency and genital stages (approximately 6 years to adolescence)

From around 6 years the torments of infancy and early childhood subside and the child's 

sexual awakening goes into a resting period (latency, from around 6 years to puberty and adolescence). Then, at adolescence, sexual feelings become more apparent and urgent and the genital stage appears. In the latter “true” sexual feelings emerge and the adolescent strives to cope with awakening desires.

This theory can be related to 

• gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues
• juvenile delinquency issues