Oral Stage

Definition

The oral stage is the first of Freud's psychosexual stages, occurring from birth to 18 months. During this stage, an infant's pleasure centers are in the mouth, leading to behaviors such as sucking and biting.

Related terms

Psychosexual Development: This is Freud's theory that human development occurs in stages focused on different pleasure areas of the body. The oral stage is the first of these stages.

Erogenous Zone: These are areas of the body that cause sexual arousal when stimulated. In the oral stage, this zone is the mouth.

Fixation:

According to Freud, if we experience too much or too little gratification during any psychosexual stage (like the oral), we might become "stuck" or fixated at that point in our development.