1. Phobias – psychodynamic view Psychological disorders are a manifestation of repressed emotional problems Phobias are symbols for other fears that the conscious mind can’t face Unconscious fears are displaced onto innocuous objects psychlotron.org.uk

2. Simple Phobia Conscious Unconscious Fear & avoidance of a specific object or situation Trauma Unresolved developmental issue Unacceptable fear that has been repressed A symbolic link between the two psychlotron.org.uk

3. Simple Phobia Conscious Unconscious Fear of sharp instruments, knives, scissors Oedipus complex Overbearing or excessively punitive father Fear of castration psychlotron.org.uk

4. Simple Phobia Conscious Unconscious Fear of snakes Oedipus - incomplete identification with mother? Sexual abuse? Fear of the phallus/sexual intercourse psychlotron.org.uk

5. ‘Little Hans’ (Freud, 1909) Conscious Unconscious Fear & avoidance of horses/being bitten Oedipus complex only recently resolved Fear of his father & castration Playing horses Glasses, beard Horse collapsing psychlotron.org.uk

6. Issues for evaluation Limited evidence from clinical case studies Methodological issues – bias, incomplete reporting, sampling etc. Conceptual issues – reliance on interpretation of symbols Competition from other theories (Occam’s razor) psychlotron.org.uk