During Freud's theory, children in infancy are in which psychosexual development stage?

Prepare for the Oklahoma Professional Teaching Examination (OPTE) PK-8. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions with detailed explanations and hints. Get equipped for your test!

In Freud's theory of psychosexual development, the stage that corresponds to infancy is the oral stage. This stage occurs from birth to about 18 months of age, where the infant's primary source of interaction with the world is through the mouth. During this period, activities such as sucking, biting, and breastfeeding are essential for the child's development and satisfaction. Freud believed that the experiences during this stage could significantly influence personality traits in adulthood, such as dependency or aggression, depending on the outcomes of experiences during this formative time.

The other stages do not pertain specifically to infancy: the anal stage typically follows the oral stage and focuses on toilet training; the phallic stage introduces themes of identity and sexual identity, usually emerging between the ages of three and six; and the latency stage occurs from around six years until puberty, during which sexual feelings are largely suppressed as children focus on social interactions and skills. Thus, the oral stage is firmly associated with infancy in Freud's model.

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