things like nurture, which are environmental and cultural influences, play a lesser role. Certain traits are known to be inherited but is the same true of psychological characteristics?
THEORIES ON LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT There are several theories on lifespan development. According to Sigmund Freud, personality first develops in early childhood. It was believed that development was discontinuous, with different stages of development. If an individual did not pass a certain stage, they were stuck there. The stages were based on psychosocial development with a focus on different pleasure-seeking areas of the body, such as oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages. Freud s theories were not ever supported by modern research but many believe in the basic principles. The oral stage is from birth to one year. Libido is centered on the mouth and the child will put things in their mouth. There is breastfeeding, sucking, and biting. Next is the anal stage, from one to three years. There is a great pleasure in defecation. The child is someone individuated and has developed an ego. The major issue is potty training, which can affect later adulthood. The next stage is the phallic stage, with masturbation and the knowledge of sex differences. There can be erotic attraction to one parent. Boys develop the Oedipus complex and have castration anxiety but identifies with their father. Girls develop penis envy and wish to be boys. They can develop the Electra complex. The latency stage is from six years to puberty, when the libido is dormant. Sexual energy is sublimated toward friendship, hobbies, and school-related activities. Finally, there is the genital stage, which starts in puberty and continues through adulthood. There is focus on normal sexual relationships and on heterosexual pleasure with another individual. Sexual intercourse is prominent. Erik Erickson developed the psychosocial theory, which was based on social development. He felt that personality is shaped through one s lifespan. Interaction with others is what develops the sense of self or what s called the ego identity”. There are
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