One of the stages as per Freud's psycho-social development theory emphasized that an infant in first year of life derives pleasure by nursing and sucking, putting finger or things in mouth?

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2015

Explanation

The Oral stage is the first stage in Freud's psychosexual theory, lasting from birth to about 1 year.
During this stage, the infant's libido (energy) is centered on the mouth.
Pleasure and comfort are derived from oral activities such as sucking, feeding, and mouthing objects.
Successful navigation of this stage leads to the development of trust and comfort.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: The Anal stage focuses on the anus as the source of pleasure. The key conflict during this time is toilet training.
Option B: The Phallic stage centers on the genitals. During this time, children become aware of anatomical sex differences.
Option D: The Latency stage is a period where sexual urges are repressed or dormant. The child's energy is directed towards school, hobbies, and friendships.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Freud's Psychosexual Stages of Development to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Nurses can use this knowledge to provide anticipatory guidance to parents, explaining that mouthing objects is a normal and expected behavior for infants.
Understanding this stage highlights the importance of ensuring a safe environment for infants, free from small objects that could pose a choking hazard.
What if? If the question described a 2-year-old who is focused on control and the process of toilet training, the correct answer would be the Anal stage, as the focus of pleasure and conflict shifts from the mouth to the anus.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core theory being tested, which is Freud's developmental theory. Note the minor error in the stem ('psycho-social' instead of 'psychosexual').
Extract the key descriptors from the question: the age ('infant in first year of life') and the primary behaviors ('pleasure by nursing and sucking, putting... in mouth').
Systematically review each option, which represents a different Freudian stage.
Match the age and behaviors from the stem to the correct stage. The focus on the mouth in the first year of life is the defining characteristic of the Oral stage.
Eliminate the other options by recalling their distinct age ranges and developmental focus (Anal: toilet training; Phallic: genitals; Latency: social development).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Freud's Psychosexual Stages of Development
Stem keywords: Freud, psycho-social development, infant, first year of life, pleasure, nursing, sucking
Lead-in keywords: One of the stages
Clinical cues: Age: Infant in the first year of life
Clinical cues: Behavior: Derives pleasure from nursing, sucking, and putting things in the mouth

Question ID

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Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 2976-2978

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 3328-3330

E6 Psychology Morgan King 9e Part 2 p. 179-181

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