anal stage

in the classical psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud, the second stage of psychosexual development, typically occurring during the 2nd year of life, in which the child’s interest and sexual pleasure are focused on the expulsion and retention of feces and the sadistic instinct is linked to the desire to both possess and destroy the object. Fixation during this stage results in an anal personality. Also called anal phase. See also anal-expulsive phase; anal-retentive phase; anal-sadistic phase.

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Psychology term of the day

December 19th 2024

definite article

in linguistics, an article (e.g., the in English) used with a noun phrase to indicate reference to a specific entity that has been or is about to be defined, as in The patient died last night or The patient who died last night. Compare indefinite article.