Many have heard about Sigmund Freud's cryptic theories based on sexual experiences, but what is at least one of them? Why did the scientist build them in this way, and not otherwise? What does the term “latent stage” mean and what are its meanings?
To understand this, you must necessarily familiarize yourself with the full material of psychoanalysis and consider in detail each of the phases of development.
In addition to the latent stage according to Freud, there is another similar term that applies to one of the stages of HIV disease, the topic of which will also be covered at the end of this article, since it is very important for the future of each of us.
Freud's Theory
Undoubtedly, parents most importantly influence the future life and development of their child. And many of them are trying to see the world around them through the eyes of their children. Which is quite reasonable, as it helps in establishing clear contact with your own child, and eliminates many problems in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to independently understand the mechanisms of mental development of the individual. And especially attention should be paid to such a seemingly simple stage of psychosexual development as the latent period. After all, it was during him that the ego and super-ego developed.
Stages of Psychosexual Development
The once great scientist Sigmund Freud put forward a very original theory of the development of the psyche in children, which is relevant to this day, so parents just need to get acquainted with it.
According to the theory of the scientist, the basis of mental development is sexuality. But in order to become one that arises in our understanding, it goes through more than one stage.
Before the onset of the genital phase of development, the objects of the child’s experience are not at all “mysterious places” of the human body, but completely different parts of it.
The stages of psychosexual development according to Freud look like this:
- Oral stage - (0-1, 5 years).
- Anal stage - (1.5-3 years).
- Phallic stage - (3-7 years).
- Latent stage - (7-13 years).
- Genital stage - (13-18 years).
Each of them directly affects the formation of one or another character of the personality. From the successful or unsuccessful course of each depends on how it will manifest itself in adulthood. Therefore, in any phase of the formation of personality, and especially the latent stage of human sexual development, the main role is played by the way parents behave in relation to the child. When a failure occurs during the passage of a certain stage, development can “stall”, in the scientific language, to focus on precisely this phase of injury.
A loop at one of the stages of development is fraught with the fact that, as an adult, a person remembers a mental trauma received at one or another period at an unconscious level, and it does not matter if it was in the anal or latent stage. Freud found an explanation for each period.
At the moment of loss of self-control, in a stressful situation, a person as if becomes the defenseless little child that he was at the time of receiving emotional shock. And, of course, focusing on any of these stages of development will manifest itself in adulthood, because injuries sustained in childhood are, in fact, unresolved problems in relationships - parent-child.
Oral stage
This phase of mental development has received this name because the mouth is the priority organ of the senses of the infant. With its help, he not only receives food, but also studies the world around him, while receiving many new sensations. And this is the first stage in the development of sexuality. The child considers himself and his mother a single whole, and the strong bond that began during pregnancy lasts during this period. Maternal breasts for him are a continuation of himself.
The period can be characterized as a state of auterotism, since sexual energy is directed inward. Eating from the mother’s warm "sissy", the child is not only saturated, while receiving pleasure, but also experiences peace and protection.
Therefore, breastfeeding throughout the development phase is so important to maintain, especially since during this period there is nothing more important for a baby than close communication with mom, who should be valued every second spent with the baby, because in the fourth (latent) stage she will this is sorely missed.
But unfortunately, for various reasons, many babies do not receive breast milk, and mothers are forced to feed them with artificial nutrition. In such a case, it is very important to take the crumbs in your hands, at the time of eating, so that he feels mom's warmth, since tactile contact becomes especially important.
How to avoid injury at this stage?
Kids of this age are anxious if the mother disappears from sight, do not want to sleep alone, cry loudly and demand that they be picked up. They should not refuse this, because in this case it is not a manifestation of moodiness, but a desire to gain confidence in both the internal and the external world. Strictness at this stage of development can only harm the baby, and, according to Freud, there are two extreme types of mother's behavior:
- Excessive severity and, as a consequence, ignoring the emotional needs of the child.
- Excessive custody, which manifests itself in premature servility to any desire for a peanut.
Both that and other model of maternal behavior leads to the development of an oral-passive personality type, in which a feeling of self-doubt and infantility predominate. As an adult, this person will always wait from others for the same attitude as from his mother, and will require constant assistance and praise. Usually he is excessively gullible and infantile, which can have a bad effect already in the IV latent stage.
Therefore, if you want to grow a decisive and confident person, then:
- firstly - do not spare your affection for the baby when he calls you to cry;
- secondly - do not be afraid to breast-feed him longer than is customary in the masses;
- thirdly - do not be afraid to put the crumbs in your bed.
All of the above only strengthens the tiny man’s confidence in the outside world and mom and dad, so you should not listen to “experienced” grandmothers.
Oral Stage Part II
With the onset of the second half of the first year of life, the oral-sadistic phase of mental development begins, which is directly related to teething. From this moment, along with breast sucking, a bite is often present, with which the offended baby can respond to the prolonged absence of the mother or to too slowly satisfying his needs.
A person obsessed with this stage often grows up as a sarcastic cynic and a debater, for whom the only goal is to rule over people and use them for their own selfish purposes. Such a child can negatively manifest himself in relation to other children, being already in the latent stage of human development, after which conflicts of this age can affect his whole future life.
A sharp and untimely weaning of the baby from the breast and the use of nipples and dummies is fraught with loops in the oral phase of development. As a result, such bad habits as biting lips, nails and various objects falling into the hands will appear in the future (pen, pencil, match, etc.); love for chewing gum; smoking; talkativeness, as well as the habit of “seizing” stress, which, of course, contributes to weight gain.
These people are often prone to depression, they constantly lack some special meaning of life.
Anal stage
It occurs at the age of about one and a half years and lasts up to three. It is called so because both the parents and the child himself during this period pay special attention to his backside, since at this age it is time to accustom a person to the potty.
Based on Freud’s theory, the baby receives true relief and pleasure during the “release of the waste products of the body”, and especially from the fact that he begins to control this process. Right now, the child begins to comprehend his own actions, and accustoming to the potty is the most important element in learning new skills and abilities.
It is important for parents to understand that the baby’s interest in their own feces is quite normal, because he still does not know a sense of disgust and disgust. But he perfectly understands that his stool belongs only to him, and he decides what to do with them. Hearing praise from his parents for going to the pot, the baby sincerely considers his feces as a gift to his mother and father, for this reason he further considers it necessary to do the same, presenting them with new “surprises”. Therefore, smearing with the products of their life for the baby becomes a pleasant procedure.
Freud emphasizes exactly how parents usually carry out the procedure. If the child’s planting on the pot begins inopportune (the optimal age for this is 2-3 years, since the controlling muscles of the anal sphincter are finally formed), or the parents are too strict to follow the rules, new for him - they scream, shame and punish for not wanting to go to the toilet, - then one of these types of behavior is formed in the baby:
- Anal-pushing - the attitude is formed that the love of parents can be obtained only by successfully going to the pot.
- Anal-restraining - the reaction of mom and dad can act in the opposite way, and the crumb, in protest, simply refuses to defecate. As a result, constipation occurs.
People of the first type are characterized by such features as destructiveness, impulsivity, restless behavior. For them, spending money is the main manifestation of love.
People of the second type are characterized by such features as frugality, punctuality, perseverance, obstinacy, greed and stinginess. These are real pedants, pathologically afraid of the slightest pollution. And at the age of the latent stage (7-13 years), these traits can be evaluated very positively by school teachers.
But a completely different personality can be brought up if you approach this issue correctly. The main thing - do not forget to praise the baby for success and do not scold too severely for failure. Then the little man will feel the support and understanding from his relatives and will gradually learn to control himself, thereby increasing his self-esteem. As an adult, he will be generous and generous, and making gifts to his family will be a real pleasure for him.
There is an opinion that the correct behavior of parents is the key to the development of a child’s creative abilities. But despite the successful course of this stage, there remains a feeling of some kind of dissonance, since feces are a gift to the mother for the child, but she, in turn, seeks to throw them away as soon as possible. This conflict in understanding gives the anal phase of development a very dramatic character.
Phallic stage
It comes when the child reaches the age of three, because he begins to be interested in his own genitals. At this moment, he first learns that the boy and girl are somewhat different from each other. And just then, the first question is: “Mom, how did I come about?”, To which parents often give an answer that is incompatible with reality.
Parents should not inadequately respond to such questions, as well as to the play of the peanut with their own “tricks”, believing that their child is a future pervert. This is a completely natural stage of development, which should be treated patiently and with understanding. Intimidation, strict prohibitions and swear words will not lead to anything good, but, on the contrary, will cause the child to do this secretly, simply becoming a neurotic. In the future, this is fraught with a complete rejection of sexual life in favor of masturbation.
Many psychologists have identified just the three-year age, which is called critical, and Freud is one of them, because, in his opinion, every child experiences the Oedipus complex (girl - Electra complex) during this period, after which the stage of psychosexual development begins - the latent period .
For a boy, this is characterized by an unconscious sexual attraction to his mother, a desire to fully control her attention and take his father's place. At this age, his mother becomes the ideal of a woman for him, and the presence of his father causes a thirst for competition and envy.
Often you can hear the phrase from the child: “Mom, better marry me!” And she said it all. But the feeling of dad's superiority makes him fear to be punished by castration, so he refuses the desire to take possession of his mother. At the age of seven, the child has a moment when he wants to do everything like a father and be like him, so the spirit of competition is replaced by imitation. “Since mom loves dad, then I have to become as strong and courageous!” The baby thinks, adopting all the features of his father’s behavior, which creates the basis for the development of a super-ego. And this is the last stage of the Oedipus complex.
For the girl, this complex is held with some differences. The first love for her becomes a father, as for a boy - a mother.
In Freud's theory, it is mentioned that, even in childhood, women begin to envy the presence of a penis in men, which is strength and power. Based on this, the girl blames her mother for giving birth to her inferior, and unconsciously seeks to take possession of her father, because in her understanding, her mother loves him precisely for this “element of power”.
The outcome of the Electra complex is completed by analogy with the Oedipus complex. The daughter copes with the attraction to her father, starting to imitate her mother in everything. The more she matches her, the more likely she is to ever find a man resembling a father.
According to Freud's theory, injuries in this period often become the key to the development of impotence, frigidity and nervousness in adulthood. People who are fixated on the phallic stage of mental development pay special attention to their body, in every possible way demonstrating it to others. Dress up quite catchy and extravagant. Male individuals are often arrogant and self-confident. Victory on the love front for them is the basis of everything! They constantly prove to everyone around their male viability, but deep inside each of them sits a little boy, trembling with fear of losing his "dignity." And the latent stage following the phallic phase corresponds to the period of the formation of the personality in society.
Women who are fixated on the Electra complex are characterized by sexual licentiousness and a constant desire to attract as many men as possible to their person.
Latent stage
From the age of seven to thirteen, interest in the erotic topic is temporarily dulled, and the libido energy goes into active socialization. The difficult stage of the Oedipus conflict is successfully resolved, and the long-awaited balance is finally being established.
The latent stage in the development of a child is a manifestation of primary attention to the social side of life. During this period, he establishes companionship with other children, actively masters the school curriculum, is fond of sports and other types of leisure. The personality structure is formed according to the type of “ego” and “super-ego”.
After coming into this world, the entire existence of the child depends on one primary component of the personality, to whom Freud appropriated the name "It" (Id). This component is our unconscious instincts and needs, which are directly dependent on the enjoyment. When the desire to acquire the desired does not correspond to reality, a conflict arises and the element of "It" develops into the "I" (Ego).
The ego is our consciousness, self-image, which directly depends on reality. And when the surrounding society requires the child to comply with generally accepted norms of behavior, a third element of personality arises - “Super-ego”.
The super-ego is our conscience, that is, an internal judge who strictly evaluates all our actions. By the time of the onset of the latent stage, all three personality elements have been successfully formed, and during the passage of this phase of mental development, preparation for the last, genital stage continues. But if, during the development of the super-ego, parents impose strict prohibitions and restrict the freedom of the child in every way, then he begins to experience all this too emotionally, misinterpreting this behavior of his elders. But in the development of his ego, such qualities as independence from other people's opinions, perseverance and determination are manifested.
Contrary to the majority opinion that in the latent stage of a person’s sexual development “complete calm” and inaction sets in, this is far from the case. Such important qualities as adaptation to reality and self-esteem develop.
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At the time of puberty in the body of a teenager, physical changes occur that occur on a hormonal background. It is at this moment that the latent stage and the genital stage flow into one another. This lasts on average up to 18 years. It becomes the basis of the sexuality of an already adult person and accompanies him all his life. However, the prolonged latent phase can leave friends and not soul mate for a long time, and then a person creates a family late.
All sexual drives and erogenous zones, manifested in the pregenital phases, merge into one common sexual desire. Now an adult child is fully prepared for intimacy, which is not so easy to achieve. That is why, during the passage of this phase of development, all the "loops" of the child in the previous stages can manifest themselves. The teenager as if "rolls back" to an earlier age. And the latent stage of the conflict of the super-ego with reality can manifest itself.
If you believe Freud, then all people in adolescence go through a homosexual phase, which is not always noticeable even to the teenager himself, and often manifests itself only in the fact that he wants to spend more time communicating with his sex mates.
To brilliantly go through the genital stage of development, you need to show decisiveness and independence in your own actions, be able to answer for them and stop being an infantile boy, in case of danger, breaking down under your mother’s skirt. Only in this case, the personality will be successfully formed into an ideal - genital type of personality.
And finally, about Freud’s theory
Any doctrine of psychoanalysis almost always considers the successful passage of all stages to be a rare exception to the rule. In each of them there are fears and conflicts, and despite the desire of parents not to injure the children's psyche, almost no one succeeds in nullifying the possibility of injuries. Therefore, we can confidently say that each person is fixated on one of the above stages of mental development.
But it is safe to say that knowledge of all these features of personality formation significantly reduces the risk of many mental injuries along the way of developmental stages and contributes to the correct upbringing of the child by the parents. Now the question of what is the latent stage according to Freud can be considered closed.
Punishment for promiscuous sex and unprotected sex
Further, we will talk about such a terrible disease as HIV infection, because an adult child needs to be warned about a possible danger awaiting those who neglected "safe" sex. And before explaining to a child why contraception is needed, you yourself need to briefly familiarize yourself with the topic.
Stages of HIV disease (human immunodeficiency virus)
- Incubation stage. It starts at the time of infection, and lasts until the clinical manifestations of the symptoms of acute infection, and is accompanied by the production of antibodies, so the diagnosis is carried out by donating blood. The period lasts on average from 3 to 12 weeks, in individual cases it can drag on up to 12 months.
- Stage of initial manifestations. It has several pronounced forms of the course of the disease.
- The latent stage of the disease - continues in each person individually, since the course depends on many factors. In some cases, variations from 2 to 20 years are possible. But basically the duration of the latent stage is 5-6 years, and this period coincides with a decrease in CD + T-lymphocytes.
- Stage of concomitant diseases. Due to the ever-developing immunodeficiency, all kinds of (opportunistic) “sores” join the HIV, which only aggravate the course of the underlying disease. This stage has three phases: 4 A, 4 B, 4 C. And the course of the disease becomes worse than in the description of the latent stage.
- AIDS (terminal stage). Minor diseases present in the human body pass into the incurable phase, and no antiviral treatment methods have the proper effect. And a person, having suffered for more than one month at this stage, eventually dies from a common cold or cut during shaving.
But recently, patients with HIV infection in the latent stage have had some chances for recovery, since in America they approved a new drug developed by scientists, and in Europe special treatment consisting of three stages is already being applied.