genital stage

According to psychoanalysis, the third social and sexual stage of a young child's development (after the oral stage and the anal stage). In the genital stage, interest in the child's own sex organs and in other people's replaces the earlier focusing on satisfaction of hunger and control of bowel movements. A genital personality is mature and no longer dominated by early drives for pleasure.

RELATED CONTENT

8 Theatrical Terms For The Stage Eight terms about theater any audience member would want to know.

12 Words About Beginnings Read more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.

Nearby words

genital herpes, genital mutilation, genital organ, genital phase, genital ridge, genital stage, genital tract, genital wart, genitalia, genitality, genitals

Note

The Oedipus complex is most often observed during the genital stage.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.