1. Karen Horney
45 pages

2. History Born in Germany in 1885 Her father was an Authoritarian parent
He was also a sea captain and
A professed devout Lutheran (the bible thrower)
But he was hypocritical according to Horney’s diary
He took Karen on 3 sea voyages indicating a connection to his daughter that Karen never fully accepted
Her mother was 19 years younger than her dad
Her mother was from a higher class than her dad
She preferred her mother over her dad
Although independent in nature she submitted to the protection of her mother to escape domination by her father
45 pages

3. History By nine years of age Karen was rebellious and ambitious
She questioned the fundamental ideas of the church
She thought of herself as unflattering to look at
She wasn't gorgeous, but she was far from ugly!
She decided to train her brain
You can have both brains and beauty!
She also developed a crush on her brother
A foreshadowing of her need to feel loved by men
Her brother rejected her and this led to Karen’s first bout of depression
45 pages

4. History While in Med school she was severely stressed
Karen entered med school (not typical of women)
She studied medicine at the University of Freiburg
Her mother divorced her father
She got married
She had her first child while going to school
Her husband did not support her schooling ambition
Her mother died a year later
All of the stress made her enter psychoanalysis
In 1923 her brother died
Karen was so deeply depressed she considered suicide
She also had an affair with one of her husband’s friends
45 pages

5. History
After being psychoanalyzed by Abrams in 1920 she started the Berlin Psychoanalytic Institute
In 1926 she separated from her husband
In 1932 she and her three children moved to Chicago and in 1934 to Brooklyn NY.
In the United States she was befriended by well known psychoanalysts Fromm and Sullivan
Although she never met Freud she wrote articles defending his theory against Jung and Adler which brought her praise from Freud.
Later she developed alternative ideas which caused the ire of Freud and the psychoanalytic community.
45 pages

6. History
In 1941 she broke from the NY Psychoanalytic society and started the association for the advancement of psychoanalysis.
One of its tenants was nonauthoritarian teaching and a spirit of scientific and academic democracy!
She later had an affair with Fromm
One of her many affairs with various men
In her theory she expressed the importance of early childhood experiences in development
However, she did not believe those experiences were sexual in nature
She loved the finest things in life
45 pages

7. History She traveled the world studying various cultures.
Her interaction with those cultures gave her a belief that European and American culture was dominated by male thinking
She Studied Zen Buddhism while living in monasteries in Japan
She argued that personality was influenced by culture and thus changed from society to society
She influenced the woman’s movement
She believed in the individuals ability to help themselves and wrote some of the first self help, self analysis books
She Died in 1952
45 pages

8. The Beginnings Real Self Idealized Self The actual Self
What a person believes is true and unique about themselves – the self with growth potential
Personal Likes and Dislikes, Strengths and Weaknesses, Needs and Desires
Idealized Self
The perception of how people would like to be.
Artificial Self pride
Wanting to be more independent, powerful, outgoing, honest…
In normals this can be used as a measurement of personal growth and the realization of our true potential
The actual Self
What a person really is at any given time when seen objectively.
45 pages

9. Social and motivational
The motivation of personality
The Primary motivational force in personality is the individual’s search for a sense of security in the world
Each person develops a unique personality style to cope with the world
The social nature of early childhood
Horney agreed with Freud that many of the emotional problems people experience as adults can be traced to early childhood experiences.
Horney did not assume that problems resulted from unsuccessful resolutions of specific stages, but rather from basic hostility resulting from bad parenting.
45 pages 3

10. Parental Behavior
Parent’s interactions with their children is the central theme of Horney’s theory
PARENTAL INDIFFERENCE
Considered the “Basic Evil”
Parents can be coldly indifferent toward the child
Parents may be openly hostile or rejecting toward the child
Any behavior causing the child to feel unwanted and unloved
Usually caused by the parent’s own neuroses
45 pages

11. Cultural The cultural nature of personality
Horney disagreed with Freud’s idea that female personality development has its roots (every pun intended) in penis envy – women do not want to be men.
Horney took a cultural perspective
Both men and women are motivated by the desire to seek security
Social interactions influence the nature of personality
In all cultures people have specific needs
45 pages 3

12. Horney’s ten needs Affectionate Partnership Restrictive Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
45 pages

13. Horney’s ten neurotic needs
Affectionate
Partnership
Restrictive
Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
Affectionate this type of person has a neurotic need for affection and approval. They have an indiscriminate need to please others and be liked by them.
45 pages

14. Horney’s ten neurotic needs
Affectionate
Partnership
Restrictive
Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
Partnership: This is the type of person that has a desperate need for a partner who will take over their life. It is also related to the idea that all life’s problems will be solved by love.
45 pages

15. Horney’s ten neurotic needs
Affectionate
Partnership
Restrictive
Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
Restrictive: This type of person restricts their life to very narrow limits. They do not demand a lot and are satisfied with very little. This type also includes those who wish to be inconspicuous.
45 pages

16. Horney’s ten neurotic needs
Affectionate
Partnership
Restrictive
Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
Controlling: These type of neurotics have an uncharacteristically large need for power and control. They put on an air of omnipotence. It can also be combined with contempt for the weak and an irrational belief in ones own rational powers.
45 pages

17. Horney’s ten neurotic needs
Affectionate
Partnership
Restrictive
Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
Exploitive: Some people have a need to exploit others and “get the better” of others. It is the belief that other people are solely on earth to be used. It can involve a fear of being used or a fear of looking stupid.
45 pages

18. Horney’s ten neurotic needs
Affectionate
Partnership
Restrictive
Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
Popular: Some people have a desire to be recognized in public or by friends including a need to gather prestige. These people can be overwhelmingly concerned with appearance and popularity. They have a fear of being ignored or of being seen as plain or un-cool or out of touch.
45 pages

19. Horney’s ten neurotic needs
Affectionate
Partnership
Restrictive
Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
Validation: The overpowering need for personal admiration. They are always reminding you of how important they are and of how they contributed to the cause. They say things like: I’m the real power behind the scene or nobody recognizes my genius. They fear being thought of as nobodies, unimportant and meaningless.
45 pages

20. Horney’s ten neurotic needs
Affectionate
Partnership
Restrictive
Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
Achieving: Everyone wants to achieve something in their life, but the neurotic need to attain achievement will result in a devaluing of anything that this person can not do. If they are good swimmers but can’t dive, then diving is useless and a waste of time. If they are intelligent but not strong, then strength is overrated and of no real importance.
45 pages

21. Horney’s ten neurotic needs
Affectionate
Partnership
Restrictive
Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
Hermetics: We all have a sense of self sufficiency but the neurotic hermit will strive for total self sufficiency at the detriment to any social connectivity. They want their independence so badly they refuse help and are reluctant to commit to a relationship. They are weak if they “need” someone else.
45 pages

22. Horney’s ten neurotic needs
Affectionate
Partnership
Restrictive
Controlling
Exploitive
Popular
Validation
Achieving
Hermetic
Perfectionist
Perfectionist: When a person is driven to being perfect they are afraid of being flawed. They can never be caught making a mistake. Since they can’t allow anyone to see them make a mistake, they must withdraw from society.
45 pages

23. Basic Hostility Children’s needs Basic Hostility
Children demonstrate the need for safety and satisfaction
Basic Hostility
Is the sense of anger and betrayal that a child feels towards parents who are not helping to create a secure environment.
Since no parent can be entirely consistent and satisfying, basic hostility is an inevitable and variable experience for every child.
It must be repressed for survival and security
The “Basic evil” is parental indifference
This is entirely a matter of the infant’s perception
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24. Angst
Basic anxiety
Feelings of insecurity, insignificance, powerlessness, inferiority, and hopelessness in a social environment when the individual feels that the environment is full of hostility, betrayal and unfaithfulness.
Basic anxiety involves an expanded sense of basic hostility which is later generalized from the parents to other people in the person’s social and personal environment.
Feeling lonely and helpless in a hostile world
An infant’s fear of helplessness and abandonment
The individual’s reaction to real or imagined threats
How children deal with hostility and anxiety leads to the different coping strategies of life
45 pages 5

25. Horney’s Three Coping Strategies
Compliance
includes the needs of affection, partnership and restriction.
She also called this moving-toward or self-effacing
This includes aspects of a phlegmatic personality
Compliance
Aggression
Withdrawal
45 pages

26. Horney’s Three Coping Strategies
Aggression
includes the needs of control, exploitation, popularity, validation and achievement
Also called moving against or expansive
It includes aspects of the choleric personality
Compliance
Aggression
Withdrawal
45 pages

27. Horney’s Three Coping Strategies
Withdrawal
includes the hermetic, perfectionist and restrictive types.
Also called moving away from or resigning
It includes aspects of the melancholy personality
Compliance
Aggression
Withdrawal
45 pages

28. Moving-toward people Self-effacing
Compliance
Moving-toward people Self-effacing
45 pages

29. The self effacing compliant personality
Moving toward people. Clingy
Morbid dependency
Needs to be attached to friends, lovers or a spouse.
Needs affection and approval
Finds self-worth in relationships
Self-subordination
assumption that all others are superior
Usually undemanding
Can make manipulative demands
“Poor little me” feeling of being weak and helpless
playing the martyr or saint
sacrifice and suffering for others
Lives life within narrow borders
Represses
competition, dominance, rage, anger & hostility
45 pages

30. Moving-against people Expansive
Aggression
Moving-against people Expansive
45 pages

31. Aggressive Personality - Moving Against people
Narcissistic - in love with an idealized self-image
They identify with their “ideal” self
Must believe they are Perfectionists
Arrogant & vindictive - Pride and strength
Their self-worth is derived from success and prestige
Need to be right
Need to be recognized and admired
Machiavellian in nature. Want to be the “Master”
They Require control, dominance and power
They Put on a likeable façade
They Exploit other people and things
Partners chosen to enhance prestige, wealth, or power
45 pages

32. Moving-away from people Resigning
Withdrawal
Moving-away from people Resigning
45 pages

33. Withdrawal – Moving away from people
The resigned person
Persistent resignation and lack of striving: the aversion to effort and change They lack goals. They belittle their own potential. An attitude of “I don't care about anything”
Rebellious against constraints or influences
Uninvolved with people: the appeal for freedom
Shallow living: an onlooker at self and life, detached from emotional experiences and wishes. Emotionally flat. Counter-dependent (never dependent on anyone). Need for privacy. Need to keep others away from their real self
They are overly sensitive to coercion or advice
They vacillate between despising their real self and ideal self
45 pages

34. The theory of Neurosis Life includes neurosis – it is all around us
Horney saw it as a means of interpersonal control and coping - which is normal behavior
The neurotic, however, is out of control
The ten patterns of personal needs are basic to all of us but are distorted in neurotics
Neurotics feel these needs much more intensely
Which causes anxiety when the need is not (or may not be) met
Neurotics make the need too central to their continued existence
They become split between the real self, the looking glass self and the despised self
45 pages

35. The theory of Neurosis The selves and neurosis:
The ideal self – as we have seen – includes unattainable goals and is unrealistic
The looking glass self is what you perceive others feel about you
The despised self is hated and contemptible
Knowing what you should be creates a “tyranny of the shoulds”
Neurotics say “I should be a specific way”:
Compliant: I should be sweet and self-sacrificing
Aggressive: I should be powerful, recognized and a winner
Withdrawn: I should be independent, aloof and perfect
45 pages

36. Neurotic trends Neurotic Trends
These are irrational adjustments for coping with emotional problems to minimize the anxiety
They are
disproportionate in intensity to the situation
indiscriminant in application
“Everyone hates me”
“Everything is out to get me”
They exist with a complete disregard for reality
They can cause intense anxiety if not satisfied
They do not resolve the conflict or lead to growth but can allow a person to survive and cope with their daily life.
45 pages

37. Adjustments to basic anxiety
Primary and Secondary adjustment strategies:
The primary and secondary adjustment techniques create a feeling of “artificial harmony” within the person without actually resolving the problem
Four Primary adjustment techniques
Eclipsing the conflict, Detachment, Externalization and the idealized self
Seven Secondary adjustment techniques
Blind spots, Compartmentalizing, Rationalization, Excessive self-control, Arbitrary rightness, Elusiveness, Cynicism
45 pages

38. Primary adjustments to basic anxiety
Eclipsing the conflict
You can feel helpless or hostile.
So you can choose and expand the opposite feeling.
Detachment
most conflicts deal with people. So, detach yourself
Externalization
Actually involves projection
Once the feeling is projected the person feels that the externalized problem is the source for their difficulties
Now the person can deal with this fictional source
45 pages

39. Primary adjustments to basic anxiety
The idealized self – the grass is always greener
Rejection of the real self. Turning to an idealized self
Which creates the “tyranny of the shoulds”
The actual self (who we really are) still remains
This is a very existential idea
This adjustment is turning away from growth potential and creates self hatred
There are six forms of self hatred
Relentless demands on the self – perfectionists
Merciless self accusations – self berating
Self contempt, frustration and torment
Self destructive actions
45 pages

40. Secondary adjustments to basic anxiety
Blind spots
When a person is unaware of behavior that is inconsistent with the idealized self
Compartmentalizing
Incompatible behaviors are not simultaneously recognized
Rationalization
Explaining behaviors using socially acceptable terms
Excessive self-control
Avoiding emotions – going cerebral
Arbitrary rightness
Rigidly declaring that your way is the only way
Elusiveness
Avoiding commitment to an opinion or action
Cynicism
When uncertainty produces rejection of the moral values of society
45 pages

41. Cultural Differences Individualism Collectivism
Encourages moving against orientations
Horney believed that sexual conflict was less important in her time than in Freud’s
She wrote that the conflicts she saw most often were between the desire to be loved by everyone and the compulsive and indiscriminate desire to be number one
Collectivism
Encourages moving towards orientations
Emphasize conformity, social harmony, group tasks and family obligations
Japan’s “Amae” means (to depend and presume upon another's benevolence while acting helpless and desiring to be loved) which is fine for children, but in Japan it extends to all adult relationships as well.
45 pages

42. Comparing Horney with experimental evidence
Comparing Ainsworth’s stranger anxiety experiments to Horney’s Model of Orientations
Securely attached, explores new environment
Horney’s Balanced orientation
Securely attached, stays near mother
Horney’s Moving toward
Insecurely attached, Ambivalent toward mother shows anger toward strangers
Horney’s Moving against
Insecurely attached, baby resists being comforted
Horney’s Moving away
Table 6.3 (p. 178). Adapted from Feiring, 1984.
45 pages

43. Analysis SELF ANALYSIS Achieve freedom of expressions
The Process by which the person can gain a greater understanding and acceptance of the real self, while reducing the influence of the “TYRANNY OF THE SHOULDS” that prevents them from gaining a sense of security in the lives.
Achieve freedom of expressions
Self analysis employs the technique of free association to help the client think more openly about problematic interpersonal relationships.
Learn from your new found freedom
Use what you learn from the free associations to examine your neurotic needs.
Use new found knowledge to develop more realistic perceptions of the self and relationships with other people
45 pages

44. WOMB ENVY WOMB ENVY Positive Side to WOMB ENVY
Feelings of admiration and respect that men can feel for the female’s ability to continue the species
Men express womb envy through creativity and productivity and a desire to succeed and achieve in areas of their life.
Negative side to WOMB ENVY
Men could express jealousy by belittling women’s achievements.
They can also discriminate against women by making women’s ability to attain achievement and success difficult.
45 pages

45. Discussion of Horney
Comprehensiveness - She exclusively talked about Neurosis
Precision, consistency and testability - Her final theory is clearly and explicitly stated. It is consistent within itself. It is not falsifiable because it gives no variables that are easily manipulatable.
Parsimony - Her theory is economical, containing few assumptions, while still adequately accounting for the phenomena of neurosis.
Heuristic value - Very little research has been developed around this theory.
Empirical validity - There is little to no testing of this theory.
Applied value - This theory helps parents, teachers and therapists giving them clear reasons, but not courses of action, for the child’s and adult’s neurotic behaviors. Because it does not give clear actions to perform to help these individuals, its applied value is low.
45 pages