Core studies individual differences area- Freud

Question 1

what is the principle of the individual differences area

Answer 1

-understanding how the behaviour of people differ

Question 2

what is the background of Freud

Answer 2

-Freud believed that sexual instincts are already present in newborn children.
-In children, the sexual instinct (libido) is directed towards their own body through a series of different erogenous zones.
-there are 5 different stages of psychosexual development

Question 3

what are the 5 stages of psychosexual development

Answer 3

1. oral stage : birth - 1 year = The child is fascinated with putting things in their mouth. This can manifest through thumb sucking as a replacement for the sensation of breastfeeding.
2. Anal stage : 1 - 3 year =This manifests usually during potty training when children receive pleasure from keeping in their excrement until they feel contractions.
3. Phallic stage : 3-6 year = children become aware of their genitals and differences between boys and girls (i.e. in their genitals). Oedipus complex occurs at this stage
4. Latency stage : 6 year- Puberty = The child’s energies are directed elsewhere such as developing an interest in sport, hobbies or friendship.
5. Genital stage : Puberty- death = This sexual instinct emerges with greater intensity but the desires are diverted away from the child’s parents and towards other people (but often other people who resemble their parents)

Question 4

what is the Oedipus complex

Answer 4

-A boy’s unconscious desire for his mother and jealousy of his father who he sees as a rival that he wants to get rid of and replace

Question 5

what is castration anxiety

Answer 5

-A boy’s fear that his penis will be chopped off as punishment for his unconscious desires for his mother

Question 6

what is a phobia

Answer 6

-An intense fear of an object, activity or situation which is out of proportion to the danger presented and causes an impairment in functioning

Question 7

what is psychoanalysis

Answer 7

-Type of therapy involving talking to the patient and analysing their thoughts and dreams to bring the unconscious conflicts into the open

Question 8

what is the aim of Freuds study

Answer 8

-To provide evidence for psychosexual development theory using psychoanalysis of dreams and fantasies of a child ‘Little Hans’ with nervous disorder.

Question 9

what is a case study method

Answer 9

-A case study is a method which involves studying a small group of people or a single participant in depth, in order to gain a detailed understanding of their behaviour.

Question 10

what was the sample for freuds study

Answer 10

-Hans was not quite 3 years old when the study began
-lasted from around 1906 until 1908 (when he was 5 years old).
-He was from a white middle-class family in Vienna, Austria.

Question 11

what was the sampling method for freuds method

Answer 11

-Freud put out a call asking for friends and supporters to send information about their children’s development
-Hans’ parents were supporters of Freud as his mother had previously been one of Freud
-therefore it is both opportunity and self selecting (they volunteered themself but obly volunteered since they knew freud)

Question 12

what was the procedure

Answer 12

-Hans’ father recorded details of Hans’ behaviours and conversations, and made his own interpretations
-He would then send these in a weekly letter to Freud
-Freud replied with his own interpretations of the behaviours and conversations, and would give guidance on what Hans’ father should be discussing with Hans, and which behaviours to look out for
-Freud met Hans only once during the study.

Question 13

what were some of the findings (phobias) of freuds study

Answer 13

-Hans had a phobia of horses biting him = he was concerned his widdle would be cut off (castration anxiety) due to his mums threat that Dr A would cut it off as he had his hand on it
-Hans was fearful of carts, furniture vans and buses fearing they would fall over when they turned= Hans’ father had asked him when the horse fell down do you think of your daddy, hans replied perhaps yes. Seen as a desire for his father to die so that Hans could have his mum all to himself

Question 14

what were some of the findings (dreams/fantasies) of freuds study

Answer 14

-after being given his bath Hans was being powdered around his penis by his mother, Hans asked why dont you put your finger there, she replied its not proper= Hans desires his mother, seduction attempt
-Hans had climbed into his parents bad one night. The next morning Hans explained to his parents how he had a dream of there being a big giraffe and a crumpled one; the big one called out because he took the crumpled one away= Hans father decoded this as the big giraffe represented him due to the long neck reflecting his penis while the crumpled giraffe was Hans mother. The fact he came into his parents room seen as a desire for his mother and her genital organ

Question 15

Conclusions of Freuds study

Answer 15

Freud claimed that he had learned nothing new from studying Little Hans’ case and that the study provided support for:
-His psychosexual stages of development.
-That boys during the phallic stage develop an Oedipus complex (little Hans wanted his father ‘out of the way’ so that he could have the affections of his mother all to himself)
-That phobias are the result of unconscious anxieties which have been displaced onto external objects (the fear of his father finding out about his desires was displaced into a fear of horses)

Question 16

Strength and weakness of the sample used in Freuds study

Answer 16

-Strengths = Freud could collect lots of detailed information about how Hans’ phobias developed and were then resolved by studying his case in depth. Freud suggested Hans was a fairly typical child.
-Weakness = By only studying one boy from Vienna, it is difficult to generalise the results to all children (especially as he had developed an unusual phobia). As Hans’ father was a supporter and friend of Freud’s the interpretations and information reported might be biased

Question 17

What is one strength and weakness of collecting data through self report in Freuds study

Answer 17

Strength:
-This meant Freud (and Hans’ father) was able to find much more information about Hans’s thoughts, fantasies, dreams and phobias which would not be possible through other methods
Weakness:
-Little Hans’ father may have asked deliberately leading questions and only reported certain conversations which support Freud’s theory (or Hans may have lied himself)

Question 18

Outline one strength and weakness of collecting qualitative data in Freuds research

Answer 18

Strength:
-Much more detailed which provided more evidence that Freud could use in support of his theory
Weakness:
-Qualitative data can be subjective and therefore less scientific. Freud interpreted the behaviour to match his theory when there were more obvious explanations.

Question 19

What ethics in Freuds study were upheld or broken

Answer 19

Upheld :
-Tried to keep his identity confidential by referring to him as ‘little Hans’ (although we since learn he is called Herbert Graf)
-Not deceived in any way about what was happening
-Consent given by Hans’ father
-Freud would argue the process helped Hans overcome his phobia

Broken:
-He may well have suffered from some psychological harm and embarrassment by being questioned by his father about personal issues
-Too young to understand and give consent himself

Question 20

Is Freuds study ethnocentric

Answer 20

-The experiences of a middle-class child in Vienna are unlikely to be typical of children in less privileged parts of the world
-Phobias are common in children across the world, perhaps the findings can be applied to children from all cultures.

Question 21

Is Freuds study reliable

Answer 21

Internal reliability:
-The procedure wasn’t very standardised as Hans’ father would just ask him questions and summarise these conversations to Freud before receiving guidance on what to discuss next
External reliability:
-We can’t assume that all children will progress through the psychosexual stages of development like Little Hans did
-The sample is too small.
-Freud would argue the findings are consistent with those from his adult patients. -Also, a lot of evidence was gathered which increases reliability.

Question 22

Is Freuds study valid

Answer 22

Internal validity:
-There are some much simpler and more obvious explanations for the behaviours shown, that are not sexual, and so more acceptable
E.g. The giraffe fantasy may have been due to recently visiting the zoo.
-The use of leading questions which could have influenced Hans’ responses
E.g. ‘When the horse fell down, did you think of your daddy?’

External validity:
-The study focused on only one child, Hans, and so is unlikely to represent how all children develop, particularly not girls.