Individual Differences: Little Hans

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

to give an account of a boy who was suffering from a. phobia of horses and a range of other symptoms and to use this case to illustrate the existence of the Oedipus complex

Question 2

method

Answer 2

longitudinal case study, Hans’ father observed and questions Hans and wrote letters to freud, freud analysed data and set info back via letter, freud met Hans in person twice

Question 3

sample

Answer 3

herbert Graf- Known as ‘little Hans’ age 3-5 with hippophobia

Question 4

background

Answer 4

> Hans described as happy child who became ‘ill’
freud used psychoanalysis
freud used Hans’ case to document his theories

Question 5

Procedure

Answer 5

> at 3, Hans showed interest with his widdler and presence/absence of it in others
engaged in masturbation-mother threatened for the doctor to cut it off
3.5- Hans’ baby sister born, Hans resents her and subconsciously want mum to drown her in bath
Hans developed fear of being bitten by horses
before and during phobia Hans shown to be prone to daydreams

Question 6

giraffe fantasy

Answer 6

2 giraffes one was big(father) and other was crumbled(mother), Hans took crumbled away from big so big one called out. Hans sat on crumbled giraffe
Oedipus complex- Hans taking mother away from father

Question 7

plumber fantasy 1

Answer 7

Hans was in bath and plumber came and unscrewed it, plumber took big borer and stuck it in his stomach
plumber -dad and borer-penis

Question 8

plumber fantasy 2

Answer 8

plumber in this fantasy took away Hans behind and widdler with a pair of pliers and replaced both his behind and his widdler with bigger ones
compete with dad- Oedipus complex

Question 9

parenting fantasy

Answer 9

imaginary children’d father, his mom is their mum and dad is grandad
end of Oedipus complex- wants to be like dad

Question 10

findings- fear of horses

Answer 10

> subconscious fear of his father
dark marking around horses- moustache
blinkers- glasses

Question 11

findings- fascination with ‘widdler’

Answer 11

evidence of phallic stage of development and Oedipus complex

Question 12

conclusion- the study supports

Answer 12

> theory of psychosexual development
boys in phallic stage experience Oedipus complex
phobias are a product of unconscious anxieties
unconscious determinism- the idea that people are not consciously aware of the causes of their behaviour
the use of psychoanalytic therapy to treat disturbed thoughts/behaviour