1) What personality (or character) type does Hank display according to Freudian theory?

Provide evidence for your answer. At what stage is Hank fixated, according to the Freudian
perspective? Find evidence of fixation in the case study. What might have caused this
fixation?

According to Freud Hank’s displays the Oral Aggressive personality type. This personality type
is characterized by envy, manipulation of others, and suspiciousness. ‘Oral aggressive’ people
are often perceived as envious, pessimistic, cynical, sarcastic, scornful and contemptuous.

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-centered, 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

Hank perceives others as shallow and is sarcastic about others. Hank is fixated at the oral stage.
Orally-fixated people often seek gratification through smoking, thumb-sucking, nail-biting and
chewing objects like pens and pencils. Hanks resort to smoking and eating when he is stressed.
This fixation occurs as a result of his mother’s overprotectiveness. His mother used to fulfill his
needs instantly. This resulted in his habit of instant gratification which could not be fulfilled later
in life. His mother use to shut him up with cookies.

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.

This is me was a clean sign that he had dependency issue towards his mother. The mother did not
discipline her son which can lead him to have unbalance state of mind. After reading the case
study, I believe the mother is part to blame for Hank’s fixation because he was spoiled into a
self-centered person, without him even noticing. OVER GRATIFICATION.

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 behaviors as being
internally or externally motivated? Explain the motivation.

Freudian Theory will describe Hank’s eating and argumentative behaviors as being internally
motivated. His habit of eating is a sign of fixation at the Oral Stage as a result of which he resorts
to excessive eating and smoking when he is in stress. His argumentative nature expresses his
discontent towards others because these people did not give him as much attention as his mother
did. He, therefore, is angry at others. As a child he was exposed to immediate gratification by
excessive feeding. These evidences show that these behaviors were internally motivated.

According to Freudian theory, Hank's eating and argumentative behaviors 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,
these behaviors are directly related to the internal locus of control

*Internal locus of control – belief that events in one’s life are caused by controllable factors.

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

Hank habits alienate people, including Sally. However, when Sally left him Hank thought that
she broke up with him because of his weight problem and then he goes on to blame her for her
shallowness. He is ‘rationalizing’ here. He is focusing on other reason whereas the real problem
lies within him which he is not willing to accept.

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.

4) Find an example of regression in the case study. Explain it.

When Hank thought about the previous week he felt stressed. To lower his stress he starts eating
the ice cream. After this he starts smoking which also helps him to reduce the tension. This is an
evidence of regression.

In a state of stress Hank regresses back to the Oral stage and seeks gratification through
excessive eating and smoking.

5) Would a Freudian therapist view Hank's weight problem as a behavioral problem, in and of
itself, or as a symptom of another problem? Explain.

A Freudian Therapist would view Hank’s weight problem as a symptom of his fixation at the
oral stage. Instead of confronting a stressful situation Hank regresses back to the oral stage and
seeks instant oral gratification through smoking and eating. This is the cause of his weight
problem. It is also possible that his weight problem can be addressed as a behavior problem.

Children learn to behave in a certain manner by observing other people. Since Hank's didn’t have
any friends, he was not able to learn from others.

6) What therapeutic techniques would a Freudian therapist, like the one in this case study, likely
use? What state of consciousness would be the focus of the therapy? What brings healing in
Freudian therapy?

A Freudian Therapist will use the therapeutic technique of Free Association for Hank’s therapy.
Psychoanalysis assumes that people are often conflicted between their need to learn about
themselves, and their (conscious or unconscious) fears of and defenses against change and self-
exposure.

Hank’s will be allowed to talk about anything he wishes but this will lead him to talk about the
things which matter to him the most. This will instigate a journey of co-discovery which can
enhance Hank’s integration of thought, feeling, and selfhood. The unconsciousness will be the
focus of the therapy. The therapist will try to make Hank realize his weaknesses so that he can
work on them. In Freudian therapy, or psychoanalysis, healing occurs when repressed thoughts
and feelings are brought in to consciousness. This allows the patient to develop a stronger ego
and resolve internal conflict.