In Freud's Phallic Stage, which conflict plays a significant role in development?

In Freud's Phallic Stage, which occurs roughly between the ages of three and six, the Oedipal conflict is a central aspect of a child's development. This conflict revolves around the child's feelings of desire for the opposite-sex parent and rivalry with the same-sex parent. For boys, this manifests as a desire for the mother and conflict with the father, which Freud posited as a crucial stage in forming a child's sexual identity and understanding of gender roles.

The resolution of the Oedipal conflict leads to the development of the superego and the incorporation of parental values, significantly influencing personality and moral development. Successfully navigating this conflict helps children learn about social relationships and establish a foundational identity that will affect their behavior in later stages of development.

In contrast, the Electra complex relates to a girl's analogous feelings toward her father and rivalry with her mother, making it relevant but not as specifically emphasized in Freud's model as the Oedipal conflict is for boys. The latency conflict refers to a later stage where sexual feelings are repressed, while the anal conflict pertains to the earlier anal stage related to control and autonomy during toilet training. Thus, the Oedipal conflict is integral to understanding the dynamics during the Phallic Stage of development as