When 3 Hans showed an interest in his 'widdler' which Freud suggested he was going through the phallic stage of infantile sexual development and his father observed Hans developed a fear of horses which Freud suggested was a subconscious fear of his father.
When his little sister was born, he began a fear of baths which Freud suggested was a subconscious fear that his mother will drop him in the bath.
Data collection
Data was collected through observations and conversations conducted by Hans' father and sent to Freud via letter.
The father asked many leading questions, e.g. father: 'When the horse fell down did you think of your daddy?' Hans: 'Perhaps. Yes. It's possible.'
Findings - widdler
When 3, he developed an interest in his 'widdler' and also of those around him. He made a distinction between living and non-living things as they did not have a 'widdler'
'Mummy, have you got a widdler too?'
He observed that animals had big ones, especially horse. He believed both his parents had big widdlers as they were fully grown.
Hans had a repressed longing for his mother and focused his sexual energy on her. Father made a connection between his widdler and his phobia so said if he stopped playing with his widdler the phobia will go away
Findings - fear of horses
When 5, his father wrote to Freud telling him about how 'he is afraid a horse will bite him in the street, and this fear seems somehow connected with him being frightened by a large penis'
Freud noted that his fear of horses developed after experiencing dreams about losing his mother and around that time had been warned about playing with his widdler
Findings - Giraffe dream
Hans had a dream: 'in the night there was a big giraffe in the room and a crumpled one: and the big one called out because i took the crumpled one away from it. Then it stopped calling out and i sat down on the crumpled one.
Freud and father interpreted this as being a reworking of the morning exchanges in the parental bed. Hand enjoyed getting into the bed but his father objected
Freud suggested these are 'privilege of a grown-up man' so Hans may envy his dad and want his mother;s love. Father recorded Hans saying 'Daddy don't trot away from me'
Findings - horses and the father
Hans was frightened of horses falling over as he witnessed this. his father asked leading questions, e.g. father: when the horse fell down did you think of your daddy? Hans: perhaps. Yes. It's possible.
Freud said Hans' fear was actually a fear of his dad and the black around the horses mouth and blinkers in front of their eyes were symbols of father's moustache and glasses.
Freud believed the long neck of the giraffe represented a large adult penis however Hans rejected this idea.