ABSTRACT
How Does Psychosexual Theory Answer the Basic Questions that a Theory of Human Development Is Expected to Address?
Critique of Psychosexual Theory
Strengths
Weaknesses
Key Terms
Evolutionary theory calls attention to the importance of the reproductive functions as they contribute to fitness and long-term species adaptation. Psychosexual theory focuses on the impact of sexual and aggressive drives on the individual’s psychological functioning. It distinguishes between the impact of drives on mental activity and their effect on reproductive functions. The theory assumes that very young children have strong sexual and aggressive drives that find unique modes of expression through successive developmental stages. Throughout childhood, adolescence, and adult life, sexual and aggressive drives operate to direct aspects of one’s fantasies, self-concept, problem-solving strategies, and social interactions.
