<P> Dénouement: Unresolved psychosexual competition for the opposite - sex parent might produce a phallic - stage fixation leading a girl to become a woman who continually strives to dominate men (viz . penis envy), either as an unusually seductive woman (high self - esteem) or as an unusually submissive woman (low self - esteem). In a boy, a phallic - stage fixation might lead him to become an aggressive, over-ambitious, vain man . Therefore, the satisfactory parental handling and resolution of the Oedipus complex and of the Electra complex are most important in developing the infantile super-ego, because, by identifying with a parent, the child internalizes morality, thereby, choosing to comply with societal rules, rather than having to reflexively comply in fear of punishment . </P> <P> The fourth stage of psychosexual development is the latency stage that spans from the age of six years until puberty, wherein the child consolidates the character habits he or she developed in the three, earlier stages of psychologic and sexual development . Whether or not the child has successfully resolved the Oedipal conflict, the instinctual drives of the id are inaccessible to the Ego, because his or her defense mechanisms repressed them during the phallic stage . Hence, because said drives are latent (hidden) and gratification is delayed--unlike during the preceding oral, anal, and phallic stages--the child must derive the pleasure of gratification from secondary process - thinking that directs the libidinal drives towards external activities, such as schooling, friendships, hobbies, etc . Any neuroses established during the fourth, latent stage, of psychosexual development might derive from the inadequate resolution either of the Oedipus conflict or of the Ego's failure to direct his or her energies towards socially acceptable activities . </P> <P> The fifth stage of psychosexual development is the genital stage that spans puberty through adult life, and thus represents most of a person's life; its purpose is the psychological detachment and independence from the parents . The genital stage affords the person the ability to confront and resolve his or her remaining psychosexual childhood conflicts . As in the phallic stage, the genital stage is centered upon the genitalia, but the sexuality is consensual and adult, rather than solitary and infantile . The psychological difference between the phallic and genital stages is that the ego is established in the latter; the person's concern shifts from primary - drive gratification (instinct) to applying secondary process - thinking to gratify desire symbolically and intellectually by means of friendships, a love relationship, family and adult responsibilities . </P> <P> A usual criticism of the scientific (experimental) validity of the Freudian psychology theory of human psychosexual development is that Sigmund Freud (1856--1939) was personally fixated upon human sexuality; therefore, he favored defining human development with a normative theory of psychologic and sexual development . Hence, the phallic stage proved controversial, for being based upon clinical observations of the Oedipus complex . </P>

When do psychosexual maturity and the ability to love begin