Phallic phase

In Freud's theory of psychoanalysis, the phallic stage begins at age four, when the sexual organs become the child's primary object-cathexis. The phallic stage ends at age five to seven, with the beginning of the latency phase.

During the phallic stage, the child becomes fascinated with urination, which is experienced as pleasurable, both in its expulsion and retention. The trauma connected with this phase is that of castration, which makes this phase especially important for the resolution of the Oedipus complex. Over this time, the child begins to cope with separation anxiety by finding symbolic ways to represent (and thus control) the separation from the mother. The child also learnes to defer bodily gratification when necessary. The ego becomes trained to follow the reality-principle and to control the id, although this ability is not fully attained until the child passes the latency period of his development. In resolving the Oedipus complex, the child begins to identify either with his mother or father, thus--according to Freud--determining the future path of his sexual orientation. By identifying with a parent, the child forms an "ego-ideal" to aid in the formation of the super-ego, an internalization of the parental function that eventually manifests itself in the child's sense of conscience.