Freud - Little Hans

• What was the aim?

  • Opportunity for Freud to develop his theory of infantile sexuality and the Oedipus complex. This was originally tested on adults previously, but Freud could also investigate his explanation of the beginning (genesis) of phobias
• What was the sample?

  • 3 year old Hans from Vienna in Austria 
  • Freud had a connection with Hans’ parents since his mother fell ill 
  • Reports started on Hans when he was almost 3 
• What was the method?

  • Case study of Little Hans 
  • Longitudinal over 2 years
  • Although published in Freud’s name, actual observations were made by Hans’ father 
  • Weekly written reports were sent to Freud BY LETTER about conversations Hans’ father had with Hans and Freud would write back suggesting alternate interpretations of Hans’ dreams and fantasies (secondary data) 
• What was the "widdler" and how does it relate to the Oedipus complex?

  Manifest content:

  • Caught by mother with hand on penis at 3 and she threatened to have doctor cut it off 
  • Mother powdering around it and Hans “tried to seduce her” by saying “Why don’t you put your finger there” and when she said its not right he said “But it’s great fun” 
  • And: “Aunt M said he has a dear little thingummy”

  Translation:

  • Castration anxiety  
  • Subconscious lust for mother
• What was the significance of the horse and how does it relate to the Oedipus complex?

  • Told “Don’t put finger near the white horse or it will bite you” 
  • Disturbed by blinkers (father’s glasses) and by muzzle (father’s moustache) 
  • Afraid of carts, furniture and buses as they could fall

  Oedipus complex:

  • Castration anxiety 
  • Fear of father 
  • Wish father would fall same way as cart 
  • Phobia developed (effect from mum and doctor comment) 
• What was the giraffe fantasy and how does it relate to the Oedipus complex?

  • In the night there was a big giraffe in room and crumpled one, took crumpled one and it called out and Hans sat on crumpled one 

  Oedipus complex:

  • Big giraffe – father 
  • Crumpled giraffe – mother 
  • Taken mother away from father
• What was the second plumber fantasy and how does it relate to the Oedipus complex?

  • “In the bath and plumber came and unscrewed it and took a big borer and stuck it into his stomach”  
  • Also admitted when in bath he was afraid of mother letting him go and his head would go under 

  Oedipus complex:

  • Been “naughty” and thought mother didn’t love him anymore   
  • Hans wished mother would let sister go and she would fall in   
  • Fear of bath seen as fear he would be punished for the death he wished of his little sister  
• What was the first plumber fantasy and how does it relate to the Oedipus complex?

  • Plumber came “took away my behind with a pair of pincers and gave me another and the same with my widdler” 
  • Given a bigger one  
  • “Would also like to have a moustache like yours and hair like yours” 

  Oedipus complex:

  • Overcoming castration complex 
  • Removal of penis by plumber (doctor) a happy outcome as exchanged for bigger 
  • Identifying with father