Anal retentiveness
Freudian Psychosexual development
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Through Sigmund Freud, Psychoanalytic theory and Child development
Origins
In Freudian psychology, the anal stage is said to follow the oral stage of infant or early-childhood development, and occurs from around the age of eighteen months to three years old. The infant's attention moves from oral stimulation to anal stimulation, usually synchronous with learning to control its excretory functions. Freud posited that children who experience conflicts during this stage may develop certain fixations or personality traits. If the association of the libido with the anal erogenous zone and excretory function is not satisfactorily resolved (for example, as a result of the child being too frequently or severely chastised for toilet training accidents), so-called "anal retentive" character traits, such as excessive orderliness, stubbornness, and compulsions for control, may develop at a later stage. If excretory pleasure is overindulged during this period the individual may develop "anal-expulsive" personality traits.
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Influence
Freud's theories on early childhood have been influential on the psychological community, and the phrase anal retentive and the term anal survive in common usage. The second edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-II) introduced obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), with a definition based on Freud's description of anal-retentive personality. According to Kathleen Berger, however, as of 2000 there was no conclusive research linking anal stage conflicts with "anal" personality types.