Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The oral psychosexual stage is the first stage of psychosexual development according to Freud, which occurs from birth to around one year old. During this stage, pleasure is focused on the mouth and primary conflict arises from weaning.
In psychology, fixation refers to being "stuck" at a particular psychosexual stage due to unresolved conflicts. For example, someone fixated at the oral stage may have oral-related behaviors as an adult such as smoking or overeating.
Weaning: Weaning refers to the process of gradually introducing solid foods and reducing dependence on breast milk or formula. It plays a crucial role during the oral psychosexual stage as it can lead to conflicts and impact future psychological development.
Oral Aggressive/Passive Personality: These terms refer to two different outcomes of unresolved conflicts during the oral stage. An orally aggressive personality might exhibit aggression and demanding behavior, while an orally passive personality might display dependency and submissiveness in relationships.