Page:Fielding - Sex and the Love Life.pdf/40

 the love-life is founded, it is necessary to give a brief review of its unfoldment from the earliest stages. The review will be largely a psychological one, because it is principally psychological factors which so profoundly influence the developmental phases of one's sexual nature. Then, too, the physical aspects of the problem will be discussed at length in subsequent chapters.

Dr. Edward J. Kempf divides the growth of personality into seven stages of autonomic-affective development, each of which has a bearing upon the sexual life, and leaves a lasting influence upon the behavior of the individual.

With respect to age, the stages vary considerably in different children, being influenced as the case may be by retarding diseases, accidents and fearful experiences, and also by intimidating, fascinating or encouraging influences of associates.

While the transitions from one stage to another are quite imperceptible, they may, as a matter of convenience, be classified as follows:


 * Intrauterine (before birth).
 * Infantile—Birth to three years.
 * Preadolescent—Three to ten years.
 * Adolescent—Ten to seventeen years.
 * Postadolescent—Seventeen to twenty-two years.
 * Maturity—Twenty-two to forty-five years.
 * Decadence—Forty-five to.

Not so long ago, the idea that the child has a definite sexual life would have been heresy. That was in line with the refusal to face the facts when sex was involved. Now, however, we know, and it is quite universally conceded by all who have investigated the subject, that the child brings dynamic sexual instincts into the world with him that are manifested practically from birth.