Psychology MCAT Practice Exam

In Freud's stages of development, what is the focus during the latency stage?

1. Toilet training

2. Gender identity

3. Friendship

4. Intimacy

The correct answer is: Friendship

During Freud's latency stage, which occurs roughly between the ages of 6 to puberty, the primary focus is on developing social skills and friendships. This stage is characterized by a period of relative calm where sexual feelings are repressed, allowing children to focus on peer relationships, academic skills, and the development of same-sex friendships. In this stage, children start to interact more with their peers outside of familial relationships and work on their social identity, which is crucial for their emotional and social development. The emphasis on friendships supports the child's growth in teamwork, cooperation, and understanding social norms, which are essential for later stages of development where intimacy becomes an important theme. The other options touch on different aspects of development that are pertinent to earlier or later stages. Toilet training pertains to the anal stage, gender identity aligns more closely with the phallic stage, and intimacy typically emerges as a theme in adolescence during the genital stage.