Freud

Question 1

Define Oedipus complex.

Answer 1

Incesturous feelings supposedly felt by a son towards his mother, as well as the associated jealousy felt towards the father who is perceived as a rival.

Question 2

Define castration anxiety.

Answer 2

Part of the Oedipus complex: A boys fear, after seeing a naked female for the first time, that he will lose his penis.

Question 3

Define phobia.

Answer 3

An entirety disorder characterised by persistent fear out of proportion to the danger and a compelling desire to escape the situation.

Question 4

Define psychoanalysis.

Answer 4

A form of therapy that is intensive and long-term and in which the aim is to alleviate distress by giving the patient insight into unconscious mental processes.

Question 5

What was the background to Freud’s study?

Answer 5

Freud thought that humans progress through ‘psychosexual stages’ during the development of the psyche. He named five stages, each with a particular characteristic behaviour:
- Oral (0-18 months) - Sucking behaviours
- Anal (18 months - 3.5 years) - Holding or discarding faeces
- Pahllic (3.5 - 6 years) - Fixation on genitals
- Latency (6 years to puberty) - Repressed sexual urges
- Genital (puberty onwards) - Awakened sexual urges

Question 6

What was the aim of Freud’s study?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

How was Freud’s study a case study?

Answer 7

It only involved one participant (‘Little Hans’) who was studied in detail.

Question 8

How was Freud’s study a longitudinal study?

Answer 8

It took place over approximately two year where data was collected on numerous occasions.

Question 9

What was the sampling method in Freud’s study?

Answer 9

• Opportunity sampling
• Little Hans’ mother had previously been a patient of Freud and had continued to follow his work. His father was also a follower and supported of Freud.

Question 10

What was the sample in Freud’s study?

Answer 10

• A single boy who was given the pseudonym of Little Hans.
• He was studied just before his 3rd birthday for approximately two years.
• He was brought up with ‘minimal force’ in Vienna, Austria.

Question 11

What was the procedure in Freud’s study?

Answer 11

• Letters: 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.
• Replies: 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 what to look out for.

Question 12

What were the two main categories Freud’s findings were based on?

Answer 12

• Phobias
• Dreams / Fantasies

Question 13

What did Freud interpret Little Hans’ fear of horses (especially the blinkers and muzzle) as?

Answer 13

Freud believed that the horse represented Hans’ father. The blinkers represented his glasses whilst the muzzle represented his moustache.

Question 14

What did Freud interpret Little Hans’ fear of horses biting him as?

Answer 14

• Freud thought Hans was concerned his widdler would be cut off (castration anxiety due to his mother’s threat to get Dr A to cut his widdler off due to him having his hand on it).

Question 15

Describe the giraffe fantasy had by Little Hans and state his father’s interpretation of it.

Answer 15

• Hans came into his parents bed one night. In the morning, he explained that he had had a fantasy of there being a big giraffe in the room and a crumpled one; the big one called out when he took the crumpled one away. Then it stopped calling out, and he sat on the crumpled one.
• His father suggested the big one represented him (due to the long neck representing his penis) whilst the crumpled giraffe was Hans’ mother. The fact that Hans had come into his parent’s room was seen as a desire for his mother and her genital organ.

Question 16

Describe the two plumber fantasies had by Little Hans and state Freud’s interpretation of it.

Answer 16

• In the first, a plumber took a big borer and stuck it into his stomach.
• In the second, the plumber removed his bottom and widdler with a pair of pincers and replaced them with bigger versions.
• Freud thought this reflected Hans’ desire to be like his dad.

Question 17

What were the conclusions made from Freud’s study?

Answer 17

Freud claimed he has learnt nothing new from studying Little Hans and that the study provided support for:
- His psychosexual stages of development theory
- Oedipus complex (Little Hans wanted his father out of the way so that he could have the affections of his mother all to himself.)
- Phobias come from the unconscious (the fear of his father finding out about his desires was displaced into a fear of horses.)

Question 18

What were the conclusions made from Freud’s study?

Answer 18

Freud claimed he has learnt nothing new from studying Little Hans and that the study provided support for:

• His psychosexual stages of development theory
• Oedipus complex (Little Hans wanted his father out of the way so that he could have the affections of his mother all to himself.)
• Phobias come from the unconscious (the fear of his father finding out about his desires was displaced into a fear of horses.)