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The term '''''[[anal]]-retentive''''' (or '''''anally retentive''''') is one of a variety of examples of [[Freudian]] [[terminology]] that have found their way into common usage with a slight shift in the original [[meaning]].

In common usage, the phrases "anally retentive," "anal-retentive" or "anal" are used to describe a certain style of [[behavior]], and it is implied that this is due to a person clenching their [[anus|anal]] [[sphincter]], causing retention of [[feces]]. This is not necessarily literally the [[case]], nor usually even intended literally.

A person characterized as anal-retentive is perceived as worrying excessively [[about ]] "[[defecation|passing feces]]": little details of fecal consistency, [[color]] and [[aroma]] or as otherwise [[being ]] overly uptight or distressed over ordinarily normal evacuation.

Today, however, the term is often used of anybody seen as overly worried about small details and unable to adopt a [[philosophical ]] attitude toward mistakes. This [[metaphor]]ical usage has become so commonplace that the somewhat graphic literal meaning of the phrase is often overlooked by those using it.

[[Another ]] term used in a similar context is "hair-[[splitting]]." The intended implication is that an "anally retentive" person [[needs ]] to "loosen up" a little instead of "holding on to it."

[[Sigmund Freud]] proposed that in a [[child]]'s early years there is a pre-occupation with the mouth. This is known as the "[[oral stage]]."

Then the child typically moves on to the "[[anal stage]]" which is characterised by the child deriving [[pleasure ]] from [[bowel movements]]. The child discovers the pleasure which comes from the exercise of [[power ]] (in this [[instance ]] the power to ''hold on'' or ''let go''.)

After the anal [[stage ]] the child's [[development ]] will be able to move on to the "[[phallic stage]]" when the child's focus of attention will shift to the [[genital ]] region. [[Freud ]] believed that conflicts with [[parents ]] and delays during toilet [[training ]] can [[cause ]] a person to become fixated on anal [[control]], which later manifests itself as a compulsive concern with [[order]], cleanliness and retention of assets.

In this original [[sense]], the term means simply that a person has retained traits from the [[anal stage]] of [[Freudian psychosexual stages|psychosexual]] development.