Chapter c) Significance of Other Regions of the Body of Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality - Study Guide by Sigmund Freud

c) Significance of Other Regions of the Body

The extension of sexual interest to other areas of the body, Freud proposes adds nothing to our knowledge of the sexual instinct, but that there is a second factor besides overvaluation at work. Freud proposes though that the more frequent cases of the mouth and anus, implies that they are claiming to be treated as genitals.

Unsuitable Substitutes for the Sexual Object: Fetishism

Fetishes, whilst being a case of deviations in the sexual object, are also however connected with an abandonment of the sexual aim and dependent on sexual overvaluation. The substitute is either an inappropriate area of the body (e.g. foot) or an inanimate object (e.g. clothing). This situation only becomes pathological when the longing for the fetish is not merely a necessary condition attached to the sexual object, but actually replaces the normal aim, and the normal sexual object. Freud concludes that both childhood experiences and symbolism are probably important, since symbolism is often related to childhood sexual experiences.