Freud (classic study) Flashcards
Background to this study
Freud had theorised the psychosexual stages of development for a child and he asked people he knew to observe children to get evidence for his theory
All the psychosexual stages of development
Oral stage
Anal stage
Phallic stage
Latency stage
Genital stage
What is the theory of psychosexual stages of development?
Personality develops in children during 5 stages of development
In each stage, child seeks pleasure as a result of unconscious sexual drives through different body parts
The oral stage
Children gain satisfaction from sucking at mothers breast where lips are known as ‘erotogenic zone’ (feels pleasure there)
The anal stage
The anus becomes an erotogenic zone and children feel pleasure from holding in faeces etc
The phallic stage
For boys, this is the development of the Oedipus complex in which the boy is attracted to mother and attempts to eliminate the father after recognising parents relationship excludes them
Oedipus complex
Incestuous feelings supposedly felt by a son towards his mother, as well as the associated jealousy felt towards a father who is perceived as a rival.
During the phallic phase
What is castration anxiety?
The fear boys will be castrated after the attraction to their mother is discovered (due to oedipus complex)
This is because they realise anatomical difference between girls and makes sense of it that girls were castrated since they have no penis
How does the Oedipus complex end?
Boy attempts to emulate father instead of wanting to kill him
Latency stage
Children directs attention to physical and mental development such as hobbies + making friends
Genital stage
Onset of puberty causes sexual attraction to others, who Freud believed resembled the opposite sex parent
Who was Little Hans?
The participant who was studied
What type of research was this?
A longitudinal case study
What is a case study?
When a small group of participants are studied in depth
They are unusual in some way
For how long was Little Hans studied?
2 years
Sample method used
Self selected - he was the child who’s parents knew Freud and his mother was a previous patient. Reported for his disorders (phobias) and VOLUNTEERED by his father
How was data collected in this study?
By Hans’ father sending letters to Freud with information about Hans,
collected through the father asking Hans questions so Hans SELF REPORTED his phobias/disorders etc
How old was Little Hans during the study?
3-5 years old
How is Hans’s attraction to his mother (within Oedipus complex) shown?
Seduction attempts on his mother:
asked why his mother doesn’t touch his penis after being powdered after bath
Giraffe fantasy
What is a phobia?
An anxiety disorder characterised by persistent fear out of proportion to the danger & a compelling desire to escape the situation.
What phobias did Hans have?
Fear of horses
Fear of carts specifically falling over
Fear of drowning in the bath
What did Hans phobia of horses represent?
A manifestation of an unconscious fear of his father because the blinkers and muzzle represented his fathers moustache + glasses
And phobia of biting fingers = castration anxiety
What did Hans phobia of carts represent?
A manifestation of his unconscious desire for his dad to fall over due to jealousy as a result of Oedipus complex
What did Hans phobia of drowning in the bath represent?
The manifestation of his unconscious guilt for wishing his sister would drown so he had his mum all for himself
