The latency period is the stage of suspension of psycho-sexual development between the age of five and six and puberty. During this period, sexual activity and interest tends to decrease, a consequence of repression, secondary identifications and the establishing of the superego, resulting in the resolution or the waning (Untergang) of the Oedipus complex. As the drives slow their pace, inhibitions surface, the product of the building of moral and aesthetic dams (shame, disgust, and modesty) through reaction formations (countercathexes). By the same token, with sublimation, there is a change of goal in drive discharge toward socially acceptable and valorized activities, together with the formation of an ideal, while in object relations feelings of tenderness (aim-inhibition) take precedence over oedipal eroticization.=Freudian Dictionary=
Freud articulated this concept (1905d) based on his clinical observations, emphasizing its significance for the later normalcy of the individual subject and his insertion into the culture. The latency period is also important for the progress of civilization.
Beyond the descriptive point of view and the psychic mechanisms at work within it, the notion <blockquote>The period of a latency period seems like a logical necessity for posing certain questions. Through it infantile sexuality is approached [[life]] from the perspective of future neurosis or normalcy, highlighting what Freud later called "the two-phase start" of human sexual development. In earlier writings he had already stressed the importance end of sexuality in the etiology of neuroses. He had fourth year to mark the connection first manifestations of neuroses with infantile experiences, the notion of deferred action and discontinuities in the evolution of sexuality[[puberty]] at [[about]] eleven. He also developed the notion of infantile amnesia through what he termed "screen memories<ref>{{C&AE}} Ch."</ref></blockquote>
Freud claimed to have borrowed the term "latency period" from Wilhelm Fliess, although nothing of the sort can be found in their known correspondence. It seems that the term Latenzeit first surfaced in Fliess's work in 1909, but it meant something else in that context; also, its definition was not consistent conceptually with Krafft-Ebing's use years earlier ("sexuelle Latenzperiode").
Although latency appeared to be a keystone concept in his theoretical edifice, Freud did not make much of an effort to develop it. Nevertheless, in his later writings, he alluded to it frequently, although without adding anything substantial to its explanation.{{Freudian Dictionary}}{{!}}
However, he did make two elucidations about the latency period: In 1924 Freud affirmed that he had "no doubt that the chronological and causal relations described here between the Oedipus complex, sexual intimidation (the threat of castration), the formation of the super-ego and the beginning of the latency period are of a typical kind" (1924d, p. 179); and in 1926 he emphasized that the struggle against the temptation of onanism is a major task, a combat ordinarily productive of symptoms like rituals or ceremonies. Subsequently he singled out the emergence of anxiety in response to the imperatives of the superego as characteristic of the latency period.=Below=
Other concepts in Freud's works can be useful in understanding The [[latency]] period is the [[stage]] of suspension of [[psycho]]-[[sexual]] [[development]] between the age of five and six and puberty. During this period, although he did not specifically link them sexual [[activity]] and interest tends to it: primary decrease, a consequence of [[repression]], secondary identifications and secondary thoughtthe establishing of the [[superego]], resulting in the [[resolution]] or the waning (Untergang) of the pleasure principle and [[Oedipus]] [[complex]]. As the reality principle[[drives]] slow their pace, inhibitions surface, the pre-consciousproduct of the building of [[moral]] and aesthetic dams ([[shame]], fantasydisgust, literary creation and games[[modesty]]) through reaction [[formations]] (countercathexes). By the same token, daydreams with [[sublimation]], there is a [[change]] of [[goal]] in [[drive]] [[discharge]] toward socially acceptable and valorized activities, together with the family romance[[formation]] of an [[ideal]], the notions while in [[object]] relations [[feelings]] of psychic work and working throughtenderness (aim-[[inhibition]]) take precedence over [[oedipal]] eroticization.
Throughout [[Freud]] articulated this [[concept]] (1905d) based on his work[[clinical]] observations, in order to explicate this period, Freud oscillated between phylogenetic and biological formulations and formulations conditioned by emphasizing its [[significance]] for the later normalcy of the ontogenetic model [[individual]] [[subject]] and education, causal agents that he sometimes superimposed upon one another, as in his insertion into the note he added in 1935 to An Autobiographical Study: "[[culture]]. The latency period of latency is a physiological phenomenon. It can, however, only give rise to a complete interruption of sexual life in cultural organizations which have made also important for the suppression [[progress]] of infantile sexuality a part of their system" (1925d [1924[civilization]], p. 37).
Defined as an anodyne stage between two major periods Beyond the descriptive point of sexualityview and the [[psychic]] mechanisms at [[work]] within it, the [[notion]] of a latency period has not been studied very muchseems like a [[logical]] [[necessity]] for posing certain questions. Rodolfo Urribarri reformulated certain notions, insisting less on Through it [[infantile]] [[sexuality]] is approached from the temporal aspect than on the basis perspective of the construction of the superego[[future]] [[neurosis]] or normalcy, which obliges the ego to cover itself by means of symbolization and displacement in order to allow drive discharge through the operation of various mechanisms under the control of sublimation, while utilizing diverse external resources, a process he terms highlighting what Freud later called "the two-[[phase]] start"work of latency[[human]] sexual development." Urribarri also In earlier writings he had already stressed modifications that occur in thought and language, the preponderant role and the functionality importance of sexuality in the preconscious and etiology of formations proper to it, like daydreams and the family romance[[neuroses]]. He also was able had to identify sex differences in mark the representations connection of neuroses with infantile experiences, the body in games and drawing, which can be explained as a way notion of distinguishing functionality deferred [[action]] and genital differences. This discontinuities in a way is typical the evolution of sexuality. He also developed the work notion of latency, which precedes and conditions the masculine-feminine differentiationinfantile amnesia through what he termed "[[screen]] [[memories]]."
Freud claimed to have borrowed the term "latency period" from Wilhelm [[Fliess]], although [[nothing]] of the sort can be found in their known correspondence. It seems that the term Latenzeit first surfaced in Fliess's work in 1909, but it meant something else in that context; also, its definition was not consistent conceptually with Krafft-Ebing's use years earlier ("sexuelle Latenzperiode"). Although latency appeared to be a keystone concept in his [[theoretical]] edifice, Freud did not make much of an effort to develop it. Nevertheless, in his later writings, he alluded to it frequently, although without adding anything substantial to its explanation. However, he did make two elucidations about the latency period: In 1924 Freud affirmed that he had "no [[doubt]] that the [[chronological]] and causal relations described here between the [[Oedipus complex]], sexual intimidation (the [[threat]] of [[castration]]), the formation of the [[super-ego]] and the beginning of the latency period are of a typical kind" (1924d, p. 179); and in 1926 he emphasized that the [[struggle]] against the temptation of onanism is a major task, a combat ordinarily productive of [[symptoms]] like [[rituals]] or ceremonies. Subsequently he singled out the emergence of [[anxiety]] in response to the imperatives of the superego as characteristic of the latency period. [[Other]] [[concepts]] in Freud's works can be useful in [[understanding]] latency, although he did not specifically link [[them]] to it: primary and secondary [[thought]], the [[pleasure]] [[principle]] and the [[reality]] principle, the pre-[[conscious]], [[fantasy]], [[literary]] creation and [[games]], daydreams and the [[family]] romance, the notions of psychic work and [[working]] through. Throughout his work, in [[order]] to explicate this period, Freud oscillated between phylogenetic and [[biological]] formulations and formulations conditioned by the ontogenetic [[model]] and education, causal agents that he sometimes superimposed upon one [[another]], as in the note he added in 1935 to An Autobiographical Study: "The period of latency is a [[physiological]] phenomenon. It can, however, only give rise to a [[complete]] interruption of [[sexual life]] in [[cultural]] organizations which have made the [[suppression]] of [[infantile sexuality]] a part of their [[system]]" (1925d [1924], p. 37). Defined as an anodyne stage between two major periods of sexuality, the latency period has not been studied very much. Rodolfo Urribarri reformulated certain notions, insisting less on the [[temporal]] aspect than on the basis of the [[construction]] of the superego, which obliges the ego to cover itself by means of [[symbolization]] and [[displacement]] in order to allow drive discharge through the operation of various mechanisms under the [[control]] of sublimation, while utilizing diverse [[external]] resources, a [[process]] he [[terms]] the "work of latency." Urribarri also stressed modifications that occur in thought and [[language]], the preponderant [[role]] and the functionality of the [[preconscious]] and of formations proper to it, like daydreams and the [[family romance]]. He also was able to [[identify]] sex differences in the representations of the [[body]] in games and drawing, which can be explained as a way of distinguishing functionality and [[genital]] differences. This in a way is typical of the work of latency, which precedes and [[conditions]] the [[masculine]]-[[feminine]] differentiation. In this organization of latency, the psychic [[apparatus ]] evolves while becoming more complicated by affording an outlet to the drives and expanding the subject's resources and the range of his [[social ]] [[participation]], and also extending [[psychosexual ]] evolution in a disguised and subtle manner.
RODOLFO URRIBARRI
See also: Bornstein, Berta; [[Genital stage]]; Infantile amnesia; [[Libidinal ]] development; [[Moses ]] and [[Monotheism]]; Oedipus complex; [[Psychology ]] of [[Women]]. A [[Psychoanalytic ]] [[Interpretation]], The; [[Psychosexual development]]; Puberty; Stage (or phase); [[Three ]] Essays on the [[Theory ]] of Sexuality.[[Bibliography]]
* Freud, Sigmund. (1905d). Three essays on the theory of sexuality. SE, 7: 123-243.
