The weakness of the ego of the infant makes it more liable to traumatic experiences than is the older child or the adult. Therefore if anything it does proves to be safe it likes to repeat it over and over again.

Bodily pleasure can also be derived from rhythmic movements such as thumb sucking and masturbation. Such pleasures become involved in the dangers connected with the Oedipus situation, and are repressed at the

same time as the Oedipus complex. Pleasure in rhythm and repetition are revived in adult sexual activities, but are otherwise only acceptable when given artistic form.

A complete subservience to repetition phenomena is found in schizophrenics.