Freud

Freud

1. Freuds study with Little Hans, provides an insight into infant sexuality

2. Oedipus Complex

   • The conflict between a boys desire towards his mother and the associated fear that his father will punish this by castrating him
   • Freud suggested that our personalities and behaviours are a result of how we respond to our internal drives at different psychological stages of development

3. Aim

   • This study was a case study focused around Little Hans. It contained detailed transcripts of conversations between Little Hans and his father

4. Method

   • The method of the psychoanalysis involves the interpretation of thoughts and fantasies with the intention of bringing the unconscious into awareness
   • Han's father was a follower of Freud and was keen to find out about his sons's early development using Freuds ideas
   • As a part of this process, he would record conversations and observations and send these to Freud.

5. Evidence for infant sexuality

   • Freud had asked his pupils and friends to collect information on the sexual life of children
   • He considered the communication from Little Han's father to be very useful
   • Hans was a lively child who had a good relationship with his father which meant that it would be clear to regognise any changes in relationships
   • When Little Hans was 3 years old, he began to show an interest in his "Widdler"
   • A conversation was recorded when Hands was watching his mother get dressed and appeared to be checking if she had a widdler too.
   • A few months after his third birthday, Han's mother became concerned about how long Hans spent playing with his penis and threatend to cut it off.
     • This was the beginning of Han's castration anxiety

6. Evidence for the Oedipus complex

   • At a simular time to Han's castration anxiety, Han's little sister Hanna was born. Han's was reported saying "i don't want a baby sister"
   • Han's showed a lot a lot of jealously towards his sister having his mothers attentions all of the time
   • Han's found the holiday time a difficult time. His family moved from the city and Han's father was required to be away for work. Hans would send a lot of time with his mother at this point but when his father returned, Han's became very angry and would both thump and kiss his father.

7. Han's fear of horses

   • Han's lived opposite a warehorse with horse and carts were a common feature but he suddenly became fearful of horses. This deve;oped into a phobia that would stop him leaving the house.
     • This phobia originated from an event where Han's whitnessed his father telling another child not to touch the horse or they will bite her.

8. Interpretations for Han's phobia

   • Becuase the girl was told that if she touched the horse it would bite her, this related the Han's castration anxiety, about touching his penis.
     • It was also thought that the horses looked like Han's father due to the blinkers they wore looking like glasses and the colour markings looking like a moustache

9. Conclusions

   • For Freud, Little Han's was an ideal "Little Oedipus" and this case study enabled him to confirm his theory.