In the Anal stage, what is the focus of pleasure?

• A. The anus
• B. The mouth
• C. The genitals
• D. The ears

Answer: (A)

In Freud’s psychosexual stages, the Anal stage centers on the anus as the source of pleasure. This stage runs roughly from ages 1 to 3 and revolves around toilet training and the control that comes with defecation. The pleasure comes from the physical sensations of the anal region and the sense of mastery over when and how to release waste. If toilet training is too harsh or too lenient, it can shape later personality, with strict training sometimes linked to anal-retentive traits (like being orderly or stubborn) and lenient training to anal-expulsive traits (such as messiness). The mouth is linked to the earlier Oral stage, the genitals to the Phallic stage, and ears aren’t a focus in these stages.