Phallic stage and ideal age range

The phallic stage which is the most important one of five stage in the child development begins when the child becomes three years old and continues until the child is five years. At this period a boy creates his self-sense by his phallus and supposes that the phallus is his source of power. Child plays with its genitals and relieves tension and derives pleasure.

An intervention to the boy’s genital area that made in this stage may be resulted in a fear or anxiety of castration in the child. After the  circumcision made in the phallic stage, the child may be fixed in this stage and exhibit an psychological state named as “phallic character”.

Children who has this personality pattern is characterized by reckless, resolute, and self-assured adult personality traits, and sometimes also vanity, exhibitionism, and touchiness.They may have problems concerning sexual identity in their future lifes. Although there are some studies claims that there is not any harmful effect of circumcision made in phallic stage; It seems to be sensible not to perform any operation in that period.