Little Hans

Question 1

Who preformed it and when

Answer 1

Freud in 1909

Question 2

Aim

Answer 2

To provide evidence of freuds Oedipus complex (states that children have a desire for romantic involvement with a parent and a sense of rivalry with the other parent)

Question 3

Method

Answer 3

Freud used letters to communicate with the father discussing hans behaviour and phobia of horses

Question 4

Findings

Answer 4

Freud was interested in hans dreams because he made a link to his sisters birth and horses pulling carts

Question 5

What were hans dreams and meaning

Answer 5

Married to mother and had a family with her which was interpreted as romantic feelings towards mother

A small giraffe being squashed by a large giraffe interpreted as the giraffes were his parents and his feelings of fear and hostility towards his father

A plumber came into the house and removed hans penis replacing it with a larger one interpreted as hans desire to grow up and marry his mother

Question 6

Evaluation

Answer 6

Freud says this was evidence for his Oepidus complex but it is possible that the evidence was distorted as hans said that he never had a fear of horses and never recalled those dreams