Anally retentive refers to the Freudian theory that our personalities are shaped by the way we are toilet trained. Somebody who is scolded for going to the toilet (specifically number 2) is likely to become obsessive, clingy, hoarding, picky, etc and may continue to experience (emotional) discomfort when going to the toilet. This is called anally retentive. The opposite occurs when a child is praised when using the toilet, and the resulting personality type is referred to as anally expulsive.
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moto
