The picture of the situation—the actual practical understanding the ego has of its integrative task—is designated as the 'psychological field'. Reviewing briefly the application of the psychological field concept to dream work in earlier studies, the author attempts to apply the concept to assumptions concerning psycho-analytic character types. He regards the idea that personality development is derived from sublimation of or reaction formation to the different erotic zones as an extremely limited view. He entertains the notion rather that it is a result of a progressive adaptive process. Abraham hinted at this idea. In considering the integrated adaptive character of normal personality development, the author raises the question whether the classical explanation of the association between personality traits and erotic zones should not be reversed. The oral, genital and anal character types are characterized as to their real significance after taking adequate account of dynamic, adaptive and organizing processes in the development of the personality.