Phallic Stage
Definition
The phallic stage is the third of Freud's psychosexual stages (from 3 to 6 years), during which pleasure focuses on the genitals. This is also when children become aware of their gender identity.
Analogy
Think about a child playing house and pretending to be mommy or daddy. They're exploring roles associated with their gender, much like in the phallic stage.
Related terms
Oedipus Complex/Electra Complex: According to Freud, during the phallic stage boys experience an Oedipus complex where they have unconscious sexual desires for their mother and see their father as a rival. For girls it's called Electra complex.
Gender Identity: This refers to one's sense of being male or female. During the phallic stage, children start recognizing this aspect of themselves.
Castration Anxiety/Penis Envy: These are terms used by Freud to describe feelings experienced by boys (fear of losing penis) and girls (desire for a penis) respectively during the phallic stage.
"Phallic Stage" appears in:
Study guides (3)
Practice Questions (1)
- In Freud’s psychosexual stages of development, which stage comes after phallic stage?
Resources
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