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What Is the Oral Stage?

By , About.com Guide

Definition:

The oral stage is the first stage of Freud's stages of psychosexual development, lasting from birth to 18 months.

According to Freud, the mouth is the primary erogenous zone through which pleasure is derived. The major conflict issue during this stage is the weaning process, during which the child is forced to become less dependent upon caretakers. A fixation at this stage can result in problems with dependency or aggression.

Learn more about the oral stage of psychosexual development.

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