Freud Flashcards
What was the purpose of the Little Hans case study?
To test Freud’s theory that a young child goes through unconscious psychosexual stages during early development and that at around the age of 3 the child enters the phallic stage.
What is the focus of the phallic stage?
The child’s interest focuses on the opposite sex parent.
What feelings does a boy develop during the phallic stage according to Freud?
A boy loves his mother and comes to have sexual desire for her. He wishes his father dead, which arouses feelings of guilt. He fears his father will punish him by castrating him.
What does Freud call the conflict a boy experiences during the phallic stage?
The Oedipus complex.
How does a boy resolve the Oedipus conflict?
By identifying with his father and ceasing to desire his mother.
Who was the subject of the case study?
Little Hans.
What stage of development was Little Hans experiencing?
The phallic stage of development.
What was the aim of the case study?
To provide support for Freud’s theory based on Little Hans’ feelings and behavior.
What was the method of this study?
A longitudinal case study.
Who was the participant in the case study?
A 5-year-old boy called Little Hans.
Who was Little Hans’ father?
Max Graf, an early supporter of Freud.
How was the data collected?
Hans’ father and Freud exchanged letters. The data was collected by Hans’ father who wrote to Freud who interpreted Hans’ behaviour and then wrote back with suggestions.
What fear did Hans’ father report to Freud when Hans was 5 years old?
Hans was afraid a horse would bite him in the street, which Freud connected with him being frightened by a large penis.
What body part was Hans interested in?
His “widdler.”
What feelings did Hans express toward his baby sister?
Hostility.
What fear did Hans develop regarding his mother during bath time?
Fear that his mother would drop him and that he would drown.
What unconscious desire did Hans admit to his father?
That he wished his mother would drown his sister.
What was Hans’ specific fear regarding horses?
That a white horse would bite him.
What did Freud interpret Hans’ horse fear to represent?
Fear of losing his mother.
What street incident was linked to Hans’ horse fear?
Hans heard a man saying to a child, “Don’t put your finger to the white horse or it will bite you.
What incident occurred between Hans and his mother regarding his “widdler”?
Hans asked his mother if she would put her finger on his “widdler,” but she said it was improper.
What threat did Hans’ mother make regarding his “widdler”?
She threatened to arrange for it to be cut off.
What dream did Hans tell his father about giraffes?
A dream about 2 giraffes - a big one and a crumpled one. Hans took away the crumpled one and sat on it, making the big one cry out.
How was the giraffe dream interpreted?
As a representation of Hans getting into his parents’ bed, with the father (big giraffe) objecting and Hans sitting on his mother (crumpled giraffe) to claim her.
What did Freud wonder if the giraffe’s long neck represented?
A large adult penis.
What did Freud suggest Hans’ fear of horses represented?
A fear of his father.
What aspects of the horses were seen as symbols of Hans’ father?
The black around the horses’ mouths and the blinkers as symbols for his father’s moustache and glasses.
What happened to Hans’ fear of horses?
It began to subside.
What fantasy did Hans have about a plumber?
The plumber took away his behind with pincers and gave him another, and did the same with his “widdler.”
How was the plumber fantasy interpreted?
As Hans being given a bigger backside and “widdler,” like his father’s.
