The second stage of development is called the Anal Stage. This stage generally takes place from the ages 1-3. In this stage the key anal-stage experience is toilet training. Here there is a battle between the id and the ego. The id wants immediate gratification (not waiting to go to the bathroom) and the ego demanding delayed gratification (getting a treat by going on the toilet. In this experience the parenting style has a lot to do with how the child makes it through the experience. The ideal is that the child learns the importance of control and toilet training is not over emphasized. If instead the toilet training becomes a bad experience then a compulsive personality can be formed. The child becomes too concerned with cleanliness. On the other the id may win and the parents give in then the child may form a self-indulgent personality. If the parents fight this then the child may develop a low sense of self due to the child doing the parents' will and not the ego's will.
Consequences of psychological fixation: Anal Retentive: Obsessively organized, or excessively neat Anal Expulsive: reckless, careless, defiant, disorganized, coprophilic.
As you can see one of the keys to this age is parenting style, which we will be discussing after finishing up the Freudian stages.
How does this stage help develop characterization?
ooo...yeah cant wait on parenting style....should be able to give some good examples...also could talk about childhood trauma cementing the child in the brain stem/emotional center vs the cognitive...
ReplyDeleteAll I have to say is that the next little id that poops in my pool will have his little ego smashed ....... I guess I am not to be defined as passive.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting aspect of the age and what is to be expected and not to be expected.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.