Psychodynamic theory Adler and Horney

Alfred Adler 1870 – 1937 He grew up in a Vienna family of six boys and two girls. His brother died as a very young boy in the bed next to Adler. Adler was sickly and was very much aware of death. At age 4 Adler almost died of pneumonia. He overheard the doctor tell his father that “Alfred is lost.” This is when Adler decided to become a physician. Adler felt dethroned after the birth of his brother. He developed a trusting relationship with his father but he did not feel very close to his mother. Adler was extremely jealous of his older brother, Sigmund. Adler’s early years were characterized by struggling to overcome illnesses and feelings of inferiority. He felt inferior to his brother and peers; which made him determined to compensate for his physical limitations, and gradually he overcame many of his limitations. His early childhood had an impact on the formation of his theory. Adler is an example of a person who shaped his own life as opposed to having it determined by fate. His teacher advised his father to prepare Adler to be a shoemaker but not much else.

Adler’s Life continued Adler had a passionate concern for common person and he was outspoken about child-rearing practices, school reforms, and prejudices that resulted in conflict. Adler wrote spoke and wrote in simple, non-technical languages so that the public could understand and apply the principles of his psychology theory. The clinics he founded grew in numbers and in popularity, and he was indefatigable in lecturing and demonstrating his work. In the mid 1920s he began lecturing in the United States. He ignored the warning of his friends to slow down and on May 28, 1937, while taking a walk before a scheduled lecture in Aberdeen, Scotland, Adler collapsed and died of heart failure.

VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE Adler abandoned Freud’s basic theories because he believed Freud was excessively narrow in his stress on biological and instinctual determination. Adler holds that the individual begins to form an approach to life somewhere in their first 6 months. Focuses on how the person’s perception of the past and his or her interpretation of earl events has a continuing influence. According to Adler, humans are motivated primarily by social relatedness rather than by sexual urges. Behavior is purposeful and goal-directed Consciousness; more than unconsciousness, which is the focus of therapy

Unlike Freud, Adler stresses Choice and responsibility, meaning in life The striving for success, completion and perfection Freud and Adler created contrasting theories Their individual and very different childhood experiences in their families were the key factor that shaped their distinctly different views of human nature.

Inferiority Adler’s theory focuses on inferiority feelings, which he sees as a normal condition of all people and as a source of all human striving. Inferiority can be the wellspring of creativity. They motivate us to strive for mastery, success (superiority), and completion Around age 6 our fictional vision of ourselves as perfect or complete begins to form into a life goal. The life goal unifies the personality and becomes the source of human motivation.

Development of Personality Every striving and every effort to overcome inferiority is now in line with this goal. From the Adlerian perspective, human behavior is not determined solely by heredity and environment. Instead, we have the capacity to interpret, influence, and create events. Adler asserts that what we were born with is not as important as what we choose to do with the abilities and limitations we possess. Adlerian recognize that biological and environmental conditions limit our capacity to choose and to create.

Striving for Perfection Adler stresses that striving for perfection and coping with inferiority by seeking mastery are innate. An individual core beliefs and assumptions through which the person organizes his or her reality and finds meaning in life events constitutes the individual’s lifestyle. In striving for goals that have meaning to us, we develop a unique style of life. In striving for the goal of superiority, Adlerian believe some individuals develop their intellect , other, their artistic, talent; others, athletic skill; and so on.

Social Interest and community feeling Social interest and community feeling are probably Adler’s most significant and distinctive concepts: an individuals’ awareness of being part of a human community and to individual’s attitudes in dealing with the social world. Social interest includes striving for a better future for humanity. The socialization process begins at childhood; which involves finding a place in society and acquiring a sense of belonging and of contributing. Social interest is taught and learned. Adler equated social interest with a sense of identification and empathy with others: to see with the eyes of another, to hear with the ears of another, to feel with the heart of another. Social interest is the central indicator of mental health. As social interest develops, feelings of inferiority and alienation diminish.

Adler Adler came to believe in the importance of “feelings of inferiority” in motivating human behavior To be a human being," he wrote, "means to feel oneself inferior." Adler believed that inferiority feelings are the source of all human striving. All individual progress, growth and development result from the attempt to compensate for one's inferiorities. Our goal in life is to overcome feelings of inferiority and strive for superiority

Birth Order Birth order and the interpretation of one’s position in the family have a great deal to do with how adults interact in the world. Although it is important to avoid stereotyping individuals, it does help to see how certain personality trends that began in childhood as a result of sibling rivalry influence individuals throughout life.

BIRTH ORDER AND SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS 5 PSYCHOLOGICAL POSITIONS OLDEST RECEIVE GOOD DEAL OF ATTENTION/SPOIL SECOND OF TWO ACTS AS THOUGH THEY ARE IN A RACE COMPETITIVE/SEEK WEAKNESS IN #1 MIDDLE FEELS SQEEZED OUT/POOR ME/PROBLEM CHILD YOUNGEST PAMPERED/GO THEIR OWN WAY/NEW WAYS OF DOING THINGS ONLY SHARE CHARACTERISTICS OF AN OLDER CHILD HIGH ACHIEVER/HARD TO SHARE WITH OTHERS

Summary Individual Psychology assumes that people are: motivated by social factors responsible for their own thoughts, feelings, and actions the creators of their own lives are impelled by purposes and goals

Summary The goal is to help clients identify and change their mistaken beliefs about self, others, and life and thus participate more fully in a social world. Clients are not seen as mentally sick but as discouraged. The client and therapist work collaboratively to challenge the client to translate the client’s insights into action in the real world. Major contributions include elementary education, consultation groups with teachers, parent education groups, marriage and family therapy, and group counseling.

Karen Horney

Biography Born Germany-of Norwegian parents Problems with dominant father-but supportive mother Perceived self-homely Since I cannot be beautiful I will be smart.” Pressed to go to medical school Married Oscar Horney in Med School- depressed & suicide attempt while in Med School 1932 came to USA Women’s Rights Advocate for her time

Basic Nature of Human Beings Agreed with Adler that our inherent nature is constructive and that personality is strongly influenced by cultural factors Shared Freud’s views about psychic determinism and the importance of unconscious processes Said little about the structure and development of personality

Neurosis Agreed with Freud, Jung and Adler that neurosis is a matter of degree, and that it results from disturbed interpersonal relationships during childhood. Parents may be dominating, overprotective, overindulgent, humiliating, brutal, perfectionistic, hypocritical, etc. Leads to:

Basic Anxiety Basic Anxiety: child’s fear of being alone, helpless, & insecure Children are powerless-unable to gain their place in society immediately-so must repress feelings of hostility & anger towards powerful adults, instead they need to strive to please them to get their needs met Arises from social conflicts in family and larger conflicts within society As a result, the child gives up the healthy quest for self-realization, and strives instead for safety

Horney’s 10 Neurotic (security seeking) Needs Affection & approval Having a “partner” Narrowly restricting one’s life Power Exploiting others Social recognition & prestige Personal achievement Personal admiration Self-sufficiency & Independence Perfection & Unassailability

Horney’s Neurotic Coping Strategies Moving toward people: attempting to make others happy, to gain love and to secure approval & affection Moving against people: striving for power, recognition & admiration Moving Away from people: withdrawal of emotional investment from relationships to avoid being hurt

The Idealized Image In most instances, the despised aspects of the neurotic’s personality and painful inner conflicts are further concealed through the development of a glamorous “idealized image.” A manipulative/compliant individual sees self as so unselfish, helpful and attractive as to deserve undying love An inherently weak and selfish, aggressive neurotic sees self as vastly superior, friendly and fair A detached individual may believe that she is so capable and self-sufficient that she never needs anything from anyone.

The Idealized Image (cont.) The idealized image appears very real to the individual, but inevitable failure leads to increased hatred for, and alienation from, the real self (self-contempt), leading to intensified inner conflicts and increased dependence on the idealized image. As this image becomes increasingly unrealistic, the individual feels compelled to bolster it with still greater triumphs (glory). One “should” be famous, perfect, unselfish, etc.: The “Tyranny of the Shoulds.” these feelings can also be externalized: experienced as coming from others.

Female Sexuality Early in her career, Horney conceded the existence of penis envy, but emphatically rejected Freud’s views that healthy women crave a boy child as a disguised penis substitute, or that the lack of a penis produces self-contempt and a weaker superego. “An organism biologically built for female functions cannot be ruled psychologically by a wish for masculine attributes.”

Female Sexuality Horney, instead, emphasized the role of cultural influences on female behavior. “If society regards strength, courage, independence and sexual freedom as masculine characteristics, while depicting frailty and dependence as inherently feminine, women will tend to believe that they deserve a subordinate position.”