Which psychological phenomenon can result from fixating on oral pleasures during early development?

The psychological phenomenon that stems from fixating on oral pleasures during early development is known as oral fixation. In Freudian psychoanalytic theory, this concept suggests that if an individual experiences issues or trauma during the oral stage of development, typically occurring from birth to about 18 months, they might develop characteristics associated with oral fixation later in life. This could manifest in behaviors such as overeating, smoking, or excessive talking, as the individual continues to seek out oral stimulation.

Oral fixation is specifically linked to the frustrations or overindulgences experienced during this stage. If the needs associated with oral gratification—such as feeding and comfort—are not adequately met, a person may continue to seek these pleasures in adulthood.

The other concepts listed—anal fixation, phallic fixation, and gender identity disorder—relate to different stages of development or psychological issues, and thus are not applicable to the fixation on oral pleasures. Anal fixation is tied to the anal stage of development, phallic fixation to the phallic stage, and gender identity disorder is a separate category that deals with issues of gender identity and does not connect directly to the fixation on oral stages.