Freud OCR

Freud’s theory of personality development is called ‘psychodynamic’. ‘Psychodynamic’ refers to any approach which emphasises the role of unconscious processes in development.

Oedipus complex = conflict between boys desire towards his mother and fear his father will punish him. (opposite to the elektra complex)

Research Method: A case study:

Participant is a 5-year-old boy called Little Hans. His father was supporter of Freud.

Procedure: Hans’ father wrote to Freud when the boy was five years old, describing the main problem: ‘He is afraid a horse will bite him in the street, and this fear seems somehow connected with his having been frightened by a large penis’.

Little Hans and his ‘widdler’: Hans had an interest in that part of his body he called his ‘widdler’. Hans observed that animals had big ones, especially an animal like a horse.
Hans’ mother and sister: During his summer holiday Hans spent much time alone with his mother. This led Hans to realise that he liked to be on his own with his mother and wished his father to be permanently away. When Hans was 3½ his baby sister was born. This was a further cause for separation between him and his mother and he expressed hostility towards his new sister Hannah. Hans had previously liked having a bath but now said he was afraid that his mother would drop him when she was bathing him. When his father talked to him about this Hans admitted that he had watched his sister having a bath and wished his mother would let her go. This unconscious desire became translated into a fear that his mother might equally let Hans go.

Hans…