Little Timmy is extremely jealous whenever his mommy and daddy kiss and show affection. Timmy wants to get kisses from his mommy. Little Timmy is in which stage of psychosexual development?

Little Timmy is extremely jealous whenever his mommy and daddy kiss and show affection. Timmy wants to get kisses from his mommy. Little Timmy is in which stage of psychosexual development?

• A. Oral
• B. Anal
• C. Phallic
• D. Latency

Answer: (C)

In Freud's psychosexual development, the phallic stage occurs roughly from ages 3 to 6, when the child’s energy focuses on the genitals and the child begins to experience unconscious sexual feelings toward the opposite-sex parent, with rivalry toward the same-sex parent. For boys, this can manifest as strong affection for the mother and jealousy toward the father, known in the classic theory as the Oedipus complex. Timmy’s intense jealousy when his mommy and daddy show affection and his desire to receive kisses from his mother fit this pattern, reflecting that stage’s dynamics. The stage is also about beginning to identify with the same-sex parent, which helps shape gender roles and self-concept. The other stages don’t align with this scenario: the oral stage centers on feeding and dependence; the anal stage on toilet training and control; latency is a quieter period with diminished sexual focus and more emphasis on social and skill development.

In Freud's psychosexual development, the phallic stage occurs roughly from ages 3 to 6, when the child’s energy focuses on the genitals and the child begins to experience unconscious sexual feelings toward the opposite-sex parent, with rivalry toward the same-sex parent. For boys, this can manifest as strong affection for the mother and jealousy toward the father, known in the classic theory as the Oedipus complex. Timmy’s intense jealousy when his mommy and daddy show affection and his desire to receive kisses from his mother fit this pattern, reflecting that stage’s dynamics. The stage is also about beginning to identify with the same-sex parent, which helps shape gender roles and self-concept. The other stages don’t align with this scenario: the oral stage centers on feeding and dependence; the anal stage on toilet training and control; latency is a quieter period with diminished sexual focus and more emphasis on social and skill development.