Freud Flashcards
Sample.
Little Hans was a Jewish boy from Vienna, Austria. He was called Little Hans during the experiment, however his real name was Herbert Graf. He was five years old when the study started.
Aim.
To use the case of Little Hans, who had a phobia of horses and other symptoms, to prove the existence of the Oedipus complex.
Main findings (1)
FREUD BELIEVED FROM HIS ANALYSIS OF THE CASE THAT:
Little Hans was experience an Oedipus complex. The phobia of horses was really a fear of his father. The white horses with blinkers and black around the mouths were the most feared, as they represented the moustached, bespectacled father.
Main findings (2)
FREUD BELIEVED FROM HIS ANALYSIS OF THE CASE THAT:
The giraffes in Little Hans dreams represented his parents. The tall giraffe crying out represented his father objecting to him coming into the parental bed in the morning. The crumpled giraffe represented the mother.
Main findings (3)
The 2 dreams nearing the end of the phobia represented the resolution of the Oedipus complex.
1. Little Hans replaces his father as his mothers main love object, and the father has the role of grandfather. The plumber dream represents Hans identifying with his father and wanting to become like him.
Conclusions.
Little Hans fear of horses was the consequence of an u resolved Oedipus complex. When he resolved the Oedipus complex, his symptoms disappeared.
Strengths (1)
High Ecological Validity.
The data was collected by the father through natural discussions with his son on a day to day basis in the family home.
Strengths (2)
The study is useful.
It provides some evidence to support the case that pathological behaviours such as phobias may in some cases be the result of repressed unconscious anxieties that have been displaced.
Weaknesses (1)
Ethical issues.
Some of the questions asked by Hans father may have embarrassed or upset Hans.
The boys real identity was well known in Vienna where he and Freud both lived. This raises a concern over the confidentiality of the research study.
Weaknesses (2)
Unrepresentative sample.
Little Hans was a unique child and so it is not possible to generalise the findings to other boys who have a fear of horses. Even if we accept that Hans was going through an Oedipus complex; since it is a case study, it can’t be generalised that all boys go through one.
Weaknesses (3)
Low reliability.
If he study was repeated with another boy with a fear of horses it is unlikely that Freud would have come to the same conclusions.
Weaknesses (4)
Low validity.
As the father was the researcher and a supporter of Freud’s ideas, danger of bias. E.g, leading questions may have influenced Little Hans’ answers.
