Changes

Karl Abraham added to Freud's stages of early libidinal development (oral, anal, phallic, genital) more precise subdivisions, based not only on the sexual aims (i.e., actions) of a drive but on its sexual objects. For Abraham, the subject's relation to his sexual objects is marked by corresponding stages of "love" ranging from "auto-erotism" in the earlier oral stage to full "object-love" in the final genital stage. In the genital phase, the subject ideally overcomes all traces of earlier stages, resolves the Oedipus adn castration complexes, and transfers the feeling of affection or hostility which he entertains toward his patients on to the environemnt; he thus is ready for subsequent adaptation to society. It is in the elaboration of these different stages in terms of their relevance for character development that Abraham orchestrates differences between "genital" and "pregenital" characters.<ref>1908</ref>