Freudian Case Study: Hank

Case study 1

Sigmund Freud

Application questions

1. a) What personality (or character) type does Hank display according to Freudian theory? Provide evidence for an answer.

I would classify Hank’s personality type to be an ID. The ID reflects the unconscious, basic and instinctual human drives. Hank seems to be self-centred, sarcastic and unfriendly, but I think he is just not aware of how other people might perceive him. Hank does not understand that he might hurt people’s feelings with the biting comments he makes to them. He will just say whatever comes to his mind. Since Hank has never had any friends or a girlfriend, nobody has ever made him aware of his unconscious mind. This might be the reason that the ego and superego aren’t developed well. Other evidence for his personality type to be and ID is the fact that he tends to give in to his drive for food and cigarettes very quickly.

b) At what stage is Hank fixated, according to Freudian perspective? Find evidence of fixation in the case study.

In this case study, we’re told that Hank tends to be sarcastic and that he makes biting comments to his peers even as a child. Also, we’re told that Hank tends to always have something in his mouth, such as food or cigarettes. This corresponds with the personality type of people who have had a fixation in the oral (biting) stage.

c) What would have caused this fixation?

This fixation is probably caused by Hank’s mother when he was a child. She would always give in to Hank’s cries for food, even if she would not understand how he could be hungry because he had eaten so recently. Because of his mother constantly consoling him with food, he learned to associate food with feeling better.

2. Would Freudian theory describe Hank’s eating and argumentative behaviours as being internally or externally motivated? Explain the motivation.

According to Freudian theory, Hank’s eating and argumentative behaviours would be internally motivated. As a child, Hank was exposed to immediate gratification by eating. Eating would, unconsciously, give him a feeling of being in control of his life. Since Hank was orally fixated, all these behaviours would be related to that feeling.

3. Find an example of a Freudian defense mechanism that Hank uses in this case. Explain it.

Hank uses the defense mechanism of projection. He isn’t content with his appearance, so he believes that his appearance is the reason Sally broke up with him. Also, Hank feels bad about his obesity and smoking addiction, which he believes is the reason that women won’t fall in love with him. Also, it appears

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