Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Phallic

The third stage of psychosexual development proposed by Freud is known as the phallic stage, occurring between the ages of three and six.

During this stage, children become aware of their bodies and recognize the differences between males and females.

The genitals act as the erogenous zone in this phase, and children develop complex feelings toward their parents.

Boys experience the Oedipus complex, where they desire their mother and see their father as a rival for her attention.

This creates conflict, leading to castration anxiety – the fear of being punished or harmed by the father for these feelings.

Similarly, girls experience the Electra complex, marked by a desire for their father and rivalry with their mother.

Freud proposed that girls develop "penis envy," feeling deprived of a penis and blaming their mothers for its absence.

Both boys and girls eventually resolve these conflicts by identifying with their same-sex parents and adopting their behaviors and characteristics.