Which is the correct order of Freud's psychosexual stages?

• A. Oral, Anal, Latency, Phallic, Genital
• B. Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, Genital
• C. Oral, Phallic, Anal, Latency, Genital
• D. Oral, Anal, Latency, Genital, Phallic

Answer: (B)

Freud's theory presents a fixed progression of stages, each tied to a specific focus and age. The order starts with the Oral stage in infancy, then moves to Anal in the toddler years, followed by Phallic in early childhood where the genitals become the main focus and complex dynamics appear. Next comes Latency, a period of relative quiet where energy is directed toward learning and social development, and finally Genital during adolescence when mature sexual relationships take center stage. This sequence—Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, Genital—follows the established developmental timeline. Sequences that place Latency before Phallic or Genital before Latency don’t fit Freud’s progression, since Phallic comes before Latency and Genital after Latency.