A nurse is teaching a class about Freud’s psychosexual stages.
The nurse should instruct that fixation at the oral stage of development can lead to which of the following conditions?
A.
Inability to form healthy relationships.
B.
Feelings of shame.
C.
Overeating.
D.
Bedwetting.
The Correct answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is C. Overeating.
Freud’s psychosexual theory of development suggests that personality development occurs through a series of stages, each centered on a particular erogenous zone. The first stage is the oral stage, which occurs from birth to approximately 18 months. During this stage, a child’s pleasure centers on the mouth. Sucking, biting, and feeding are key activities during this phase, as infants explore the world primarily through their mouths.
If an infant’s needs are either inadequately or excessively met during this oral stage, it may result in fixation. Fixation is a persistent focus on a particular stage due to unresolved conflicts or unmet needs during that stage. In the case of the oral stage, fixation may occur if a child is weaned too early or too late, or if there is a disruption in the oral activities that provide satisfaction.
When a person becomes fixated at the oral stage, it can manifest in adulthood as behaviors related to the mouth, such as overeating, smoking, nail-biting, or excessive drinking. These activities are viewed as ways to satisfy the unmet oral needs from infancy. Freud believed that fixation at the oral stage could also lead to personality traits such as dependence, passivity, or gullibility because the individual seeks oral satisfaction from external sources, just as an infant relies on their caregivers for nourishment and comfort.
In contrast, the other options do not directly relate to oral stage fixation:
- A: Inability to form healthy relationships is more related to the phallic stage.
- B: Feelings of shame are often linked to fixation at the anal stage.
- D: Bedwetting is usually associated with regression during stressful situations, not oral fixation.
Thus, overeating is the most accurate condition linked to fixation at Freud’s oral stage.