Freud (1909) Analysis of a phobia of a five year old boy.

Question 1

Why did Freud compare the mind to an iceberg?

Answer 1

Freud believed that the mind was like an iceberg and was made up of three parts. He suggested that the ‘conscious mind’ is only a small portion of the entire mind and we are actually more influenced by the ‘unconscious mind,’ in the same way an iceberg is
guided by what is below the water.

Question 2

Define the term ‘Conscious Mind’ in terms of Freud.

Answer 2

Freud suggested that the ‘Conscious Mind’ is a small portion of the entire mind that we are aware and in control of.

Question 3

Define the term ‘Unconscious Mind’ in terms of Freud.

Answer 3

Freud suggested that the ‘Unconscious Mind’
is inaccessible and contains all the bad parts of our personality, such as our unacceptable sexual, immoral and violent desires.

Question 4

Define the term ‘Pre-conscious Mind’ in terms of Freud.

Answer 4

Freud suggested that the 'Pre-conscious Mind' is in between both the 'Conscious and Unconscious' and contains thoughts and feelings that a person isn't currently aware of but that can be easily brought
into consciousness (ie. memories and dreams).

Question 5

Why did Freud suggest we need ‘Defence Mechanisms?’

Answer 5

Freud suggested that in order for us to function we use defence mechanisms such as ‘repression’ to ensure trauma, painful or too disturbing to acknowledge is pushed into the unconscious to protect our psyche.

Question 6

What is a ‘Freudian Slip’?

Answer 6

A Freudian Slip is an unintentional error that gives us insight into what is in the unconscious mind.

Question 7

What did Freud believe the personality was made up of?

Answer 7

Freud believed the personality was made up of three parts (the Id, Ego and Superego), that developed at different stages in life.

Question 8

Describe the ‘Id’ in terms of Freud. (Development, Principle, Location)

Answer 8

Freud suggested we our all born with the Id which is the most impulsive and primitive part of the personality as it is driven by the ‘pleasure principle’. This part of the personality does not understand right and wrong and demands instant gratification and therefore is located in the ‘unconscious mind’ so we are not aware of it.

Question 9

Describe the ‘Ego’ in terms of Freud. (Development, Principle, Location)

Answer 9

Freud suggested the Ego develops soon after birth and acts as a mediator between the Id and reality as it is not possible to always have immediate gratification. It also balances conflict between the Id and the Superego. The Ego is based on the ‘reality principle’ and lies within the ‘pre-conscious’ so we are sometimes aware of it.

Question 10

Describe the ‘Superego’ in terms of Freud. (Development, Principle, Location)

Answer 10

Freud suggested the Superego develops as the Oedipus/Electra complex resolves and is the moral and judgemental part of the personality that lies within all three parts of the mind so we are aware of some aspects but not others. This is the part of the personality that makes us feel anxious or guilty for our thoughts and behaviour.

Question 11

Freud believed the personality develops based on…?

Answer 11

Freud believed that the personality develops based on the ‘libido,’ which is the sexual drive that is located in the Id. The libido is said to move around the body as a child and pass through different stages of psycho sexual development.

Question 12

Describe the first stage of ‘Psychosexual Development?’ (Development, Fixation, Gratification, Results)

Answer 12

The first stage is the ‘Oral Stage’ around ‘birth to 1 year’ until the child is successfully weaned off milk. The
fixation of the libido is on the ‘mouth’ and gratification is gained by chewing on things. If the child is underfed or overfed during this process then they may become
fixated in this stage and later adult personality traits may develop such as biting pens, overeating and
smoking.

Question 13

Describe the second stage of ‘Psychosexual Development?’ (Development, Fixation, Gratification, Results)

Answer 13

The second stage is the ‘Anal Stage’ between 1 and 3 years until the child is successfully potty trained. The fixation of libido is on the anus and gratification is gained by withholding and expelling faeces. If the child is too harshly or leniently potty trained during this process then they may become fixated in this stage and later adult personality traits may develop such as being very tidy or alternatively bad with money.

Question 14

Describe the third stage of ‘Psychosexual Development?’ (Development, Fixation, Gratification, Results)

Answer 14

The third stage is the ‘Phallic stage’ during the ages of 3 to 5 years where the fixation of the libido is on the phallus and they experience the Oedipus/Electra complex.

Question 15

Describe the last two stage of ‘Psychosexual Development?’ (4th and 5th)

Answer 15

The last two stages are the ‘Latent Stage’ between 5 years to puberty where there is little or no sexual motivation present and the ‘Genital Stage’ from puberty to death where the libido is focused on the genitals.

Question 16

Name the five stages of Psychosexual Development in order.

Answer 16

1. The Oral Stage
2. The Anal Stage
3. The Phallic Stage
4. The Latent Stage
5. The Genital Stage

Question 17

What stage was Little Hans going through at the time Freud studies his phobia of horses?

Answer 17

The ‘Phallic Stage’, during the ages of 3 to 5 where the fixation of the libido is on the phallus and Little Hans would experience the Oedipus Complex.

Question 18

Describe the three stages of the ‘Oedipus Complex’ theorised by Freud.

Answer 18

Freud suggested…
1. Boys develop an ‘unconscious sexual desire’ for their mother. Due to this the boy becomes jealous of the father.
2. This leads to the boy feeling guilty about his unconscious sexual desires for his mother and he
fears that his father will find out and castrate him.
3. To resolve this ‘castration anxiety’ the boy identifies with the father and ‘internalises his characteristics’ and substitutes his unconscious sexual desires for his mother for other women. The internalised father also becomes his superego.

Question 19

Describe the three stages of the ‘Electra Complex’ theorised by Freud.

Answer 19

Freud suggested…

1. Girls develop an ‘unconscious sexual desire’ for their mother but realises they don’t have a penis but her father does and develops ‘penis envy.’
2. The girl blames her mother and becomes angry towards her so that she develops an unconscious sexual desire for her father instead and jealousy of her mother.
3. Due to this conflict to not be able to have either, she identifies with the mother and internalises her characteristics (this becomes her superego.) Her unconscious sexual desires for her father are then substituted for other men and her penis envy is substituted for a desire for a baby.

Question 20

Who was Sigmund Freud and what did he believe?

Answer 20

In 1909 Freud was a famous psychoanalyst in Vienna who believed that mental disturbances such as
phobias were caused by things which resided in the unconscious mind, due to conflict and trauma experienced in childhood, and that psychoanalysis could treat them. Freud believed that using techniques like free association, dream analysis and hypnosis that it was possible to make the unconscious trauma conscious in a cathartic way.

Question 21

What is meant by ‘Psychoanalysis?’

Answer 21

Psychoanalysis is a talking style of therapy where a client lies on a couch and discusses things such as their childhood. This involves bringing the conflicts of the unconscious mind into conscious awareness so they can be resolved.

Question 22

How did Freud come about Little Hans and his phobia of horses?

Answer 22

Little Hans’ father was one of Freud’s many supporters at the time so when his son appeared to develop a phobia of horses he decided to write to Freud about it as he wanted to know if this was because Hans was going through the phallic stage of development where he would be experiencing the Oedipus complex.

Question 23

How was the study conducted?

Answer 23

This study was conducted via conversations between Little Hans’ father and Hans that were written up in letters to Freud, who responded with analysis and
advice to help Hans resolve his unconscious conflict and thus his phobia of horses.

Question 24

Describe the Sample used for this study?

Answer 24

A boy given the pseudonym ‘Little Hans’ from Vienna was studied from the ages of 3 to 5 years as he had developed a fear of horses.

Question 25

Describe a strength of the Sample?

Answer 25

A strength of the sample is that as there was only one person.

This allowed for in-depth investigation of Little Hans’ phobia of horses to ascertain the real reasons why it had developed.

Therefore the explanation is likely to be more valid.

Question 26

Describe a weakness of the Sample?

Answer 26

A weakness of the sample is that only one male was sampled

This means the results from this study lack population validity as they are androcentric.

Therefore the explanation of his horse phobia being due to the Oedipus conflict cannot be generalised to explain the phobias developed by females.

Question 27

What was the Method used?

Answer 27

A longitudinal clinical case study was used as there was a small sample of only Little Hans who was studied over a 2 year period (3 to 5 years; Phallic Stage) that aimed to treat his phobia of horses.

Question 28

Describe a strength of the Method?

Answer 28

A strength of using a longitudinal case study is that changes in behaviour can be seen over time as lots of qualitative data were collected on Little Hans’ phobia

Therefore the conclusions about the reason for his phobia being due to the Oedipus conflict are more
likely to be valid.

Question 29

Describe a weakness of the Method?

Answer 29

However the small sample of Little Hans is not representative of everyone.

Due to Little Hans being from Vienna, the results lack population validity as they are ethnocentric.

Little Hans may have a phobia due to the Oedipus conflict because he is from a western culture where there was at the time more dominance for a nuclear family, however in other cultures this may not be the case as tribes may allocate roles to child rear and so this may not explain phobia development for everyone around the world.