Frued Study

Question 1

What was the research method?

Answer 1

Longitudinal case study- in depth detailed data on little hans in relation to fantasies, fears and phobias

Question 2

What were little Hans’ fears dreams and fantasies symbolic of?

Answer 2

His unconscious passing through the pallic stage of psychosexual development

Question 3

What was the sample?

Answer 3

Little Hans (5 years old at the time of the study)

Question 4

Critisms of Frueds theories?

Answer 4

Subjective- they are biased in terms of his own ideas

Can’t check his theories are valid as we can’t operationalise hidden fear that people aren’t aware of themselves

Question 5

Hans fear of being bitten by a horse as a symbolic meaning that reflects the Oedipus complex

Answer 5

Subconscious fear of his father- dark around horses mouth and blinkers resembled moustache and glasses of his father

Question 6

Hans’ dreams about giraffes (trying to take his mother away from his father to claim her for himself) as a symbolic meaning that reflects the Oedipus complex

Answer 6

Attendance at seducing his mother reflecting his sexual desire of her

Question 7

Hans’ wished that his mother would drop his baby sister in the bath and fear that she would drop him in the bath

Answer 7

Jealousy towards sister and wanting intimacy with mother

Question 8

Concluded study of Hans provided supported by:

Answer 8

• suggestion that boys in the phallic stage of psychosexual development experience the Oedipus complex
• The nature of phobias and his theory that they are the product of unconscious anxiety displaced into harmless external objects
• His use of psychoanalytic therapy to treat disturbed thoughts, feelings and behaviours by identifying the unconscious cause and bringing to the conscious to they can be discussed and resolved