Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Y Chromosome Determines Maleness

The Y Chromosome Determines Maleness

The Y chromosome is a sex chromosome found in several vertebrates and mammals, including humans. In addition to 22 pairs of autosomes, the human males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. In these organisms, the presence or absence of the Y chromosome determines the development of male traits.
Evolution
Around 300 million years ago, the two sex chromosomes diverged from two identical autosomal chromosomes. Over time, the Y chromosome has lost most of its genes, shrinking in size. Today,...

Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience

Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience

Self-esteem, a crucial component of psychological development, is significantly shaped by familial experiences. The early parent-child relationship serves as a foundational influence on a child's self-concept, with long-lasting effects extending into adolescence and adulthood.Parental Behaviors and Early Self-Esteem FormationEmpirical studies have identified four principal parental behaviors that foster healthy self-esteem in children. These include expressions of acceptance, affection, and...

Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development

Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development

Social-emotional experiences and cultural influences play significant roles in shaping gender development. During middle childhood, from ages 6 to 11, peer groups become dominant in reinforcing gender norms. Children in this age group often align with same-gender peer groups, which actively encourage behaviors that conform to traditional gender roles. For instance, boys may be discouraged from engaging in activities perceived as feminine, reinforcing culturally dictated norms about masculinity...

Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Phallic

Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Phallic

The third stage of psychosexual development proposed by Freud is the phallic stage, occurring between the ages of 3 and 6. During this period, children become aware of their bodies and the differences between males and females. The erogenous zone in this stage is the genitals, and conflicts arise as children develop desires toward the opposite-sex parent. Boys experience the Oedipus complex, where they desire their mother and view their father as a rival. This leads to castration anxiety, the...

Signs of Puberty

Signs of Puberty

Puberty is a critical phase, typically beginning between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys, though timing can vary based on genetics, environmental factors, and overall health. This period is characterized by the development of secondary sexual characteristics and the attainment of reproductive potential. Endocrine changes underpin puberty, with hormonal surges of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) instigated by Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH)...

Male Sexual Response: Erection & Ejaculation

Male Sexual Response: Erection & Ejaculation

Sexual stimulation can take various forms, such as physical touch and visual or auditory cues. When this happens, the parasympathetic reflex in the sacral portion of the spinal cord is activated. This reflex stimulates the release of nitric oxide (NO), which then dilates the arterioles in the penis, increasing blood flow to the erectile tissues - the corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum.
The blood filling the erectile tissues compresses the veins, which helps to prevent blood from leaving...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The Primal Father on the Parental Field.

Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·2026

Same author

Play Changes Us: Playing the Object, Becoming the Analyst.

Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·2022

Same author

Shifting sexual cultures, the potential space of online relations, and the promise of psychoanalytic listening.

Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·2012

Same author

Gender regulation.

The Psychoanalytic quarterly·2011

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies

Published on: January 10, 2025

Little Hans: masculinity foretold.

¹New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, USA. kencorbett@earthlink.net

The Psychoanalytic Quarterly

|August 19, 2009

Summary

This study reexamines Sigmund Freud's "Little Hans" case, exploring how masculinity is constructed and regulated. It reveals masculinity as a persistent narrative, a boundary dilemma that remains relevant today.

Area of Science:

Psychoanalytic theory
Psychology
Gender studies

Background:

Revisiting Sigmund Freud's seminal 1909 case study, "Analysis of a Phobia in a Five-Year-Old Boy," also known as Little Hans.
Examining the enduring psychoanalytic construct of masculinity through the lens of this foundational case.

Observation:

Little Hans's reported experiences and cognitive processes significantly shaped the psychoanalytic understanding of masculinity.
Freud's engagement with the case aimed to address and regulate the complexities of masculinity observed in his clinical practice.

Findings:

The case of Little Hans serves as a key illustration of how masculinity is historically and culturally foretold.
Masculinity is presented as a normative narrative that has remained remarkably consistent over the past century.

More Related Videos

Skeletal Muscle Gender Dimorphism from Proteomics

Skeletal Muscle Gender Dimorphism from Proteomics

Published on: December 14, 2011

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration

Published on: May 11, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies

Published on: January 10, 2025

Skeletal Muscle Gender Dimorphism from Proteomics

Skeletal Muscle Gender Dimorphism from Proteomics

Published on: December 14, 2011

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration

Published on: May 11, 2016

A contemporary perspective views masculinity as a complex boundary issue, existing between internal and external states, and between fantasy and social construction.

Implications:

This analysis offers a contemporary understanding of masculinity as a fluid and often contradictory concept.
The findings contribute to ongoing discussions in psychoanalysis and gender studies regarding the nature of masculinity.
Understanding masculinity as a boundary dilemma provides new avenues for clinical and theoretical exploration.