AP Psychology Practice Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Freud's theory of psychosexual development posits that the id's pleasure-seeking energies are centered around different erogenous zones during distinct stages of development. These stages include the oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages, and during each stage, the id's desires focus on specific areas of the body that provide pleasure. The notion behind the psychosexual stages is crucial in Freud's framework for understanding personality development.

By emphasizing the pleasure-seeking nature of the id during these stages, Freud was able to illustrate how early experiences and conflicts related to pleasure can shape an individual's personality and behavior throughout life. This concept directly ties into the idea that unresolved conflicts at any stage can lead to fixation and influence adult personality traits. Other options, such as the identification process, the development of the superego, and the utilization of defense mechanisms, are related to different aspects of Freud’s theory but do not specifically describe the focus of the id's energies on erogenous zones during specific developmental stages.