The Other Psychodynamic Theorists…the
“Neo- Freudians”
Neo-Freudians accept the broad features of
Freud’s pxy theory but revise parts of it
Karen Horney (Horn “eye”) (1885-1952)
*Faithful to most of Freud’s theory
*Challenged the male bias, rejected concept of
penis envy
*Proposed womb envy in which men experience
feelings of inferiority because they cannot give
birth to children.
*Disagreed with Freud about neurotic anxiety (not
conflict of Id to ego OR superego to ego)
*People feel isolated & helpless in a hostile world
= basic anxiety (neurosis)
Basic anxiety is rooted in childhood
Theory of Neuroses:
Neurosis is a coping mechanism that is a large
part of normal life.
Three Categories of Neurotic Need:
She said there is a delicate balance in our lives of
1)moving away 2) moving to and 3)moving
against others
*People with emotional problems get locked
into one of the three modes
*People with emotional health balance the 3
modes in their life
She identified ten neuroses:
Examples:
*Need for power
*Need for affection
*Need for social prestige
*Need for independence.
Carl Jung (1875-1961)
Former student of Freud
Use the AP Book to answer Jung Questions today
in class, page 532-533
Alfred Adler (1870-1937)
Former student of Freud
Use your book to answer Adler questions today in
class or if needed finish for HMWK, page 276
Karen Horney: Neo-Freudian
Timeline of Her Life:
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Karen Horney was born in Germany on September 16, 1885.
1906 - Entered medical school.
1909 - Married law student Oscar Horney.
1911 - Horney's mother died.
1926 - Horney left her husband and moved to the U.S.
1942 - Published Self-Analysis
She died on December 4, 1952.
Psychoanalytic theorist Karen Horney developed one of the best known theories of
neurosis. She believed that neurosis resulted from basic anxiety caused by interpersonal
relationships. Her theory proposes that strategies used to cope with anxiety can be
overused, causing them to take on the appearance of needs.
According to Horney, basic anxiety (and therefore neurosis) could result from a variety of things
including, " . . . direct or indirect domination, indifference, erratic behavior, lack of respect for the
child's individual needs, lack of real guidance, disparaging attitudes, too much admiration or the
absence of it, lack of reliable warmth, having to take sides in parental disagreements, too much or
too little responsibility, over-protection, isolation from other children, injustice, discrimination,
unkept promises, hostile atmosphere, and so on and so on" (Horney, 1945).
These 10 neurotic needs can be classed into three broad categories:
1. Needs that move you towards others.
These neurotic needs cause individuals to seek affirmation and acceptance from others
and are often described as needy or clingy as they seek out approval and love.
2. Needs that move you away from others.
These neurotic needs create hostility and antisocial behavior. These individuals are often
described as cold, indifferent, and aloof.
3. Needs that move you against others.
These neurotic needs result in hostility and a need to control other people. These
individuals are often described as difficult, domineering, and unkind.
1. The Neurotic Need for Affection and Approval
This needs include the desires to be liked, to please other people, and meet the expectations of
others. People with this type of need are extremely sensitive to rejection and criticism and fear the
anger or hostility of others.
2. The Neurotic Need for a Partner Who Will Take Over One’s Life
These involve the need to be centered on a partner. People with this need suffer extreme fear of
being abandoned by their partner. Oftentimes, these individuals place an exaggerated importance
on love and believe that having a partner will resolve all of life’s troubles.
3. The Neurotic Need to Restrict One’s Life Within Narrow Borders
Individuals with this need prefer to remain inconspicuous and unnoticed. They are undemanding
and content with little. They avoid wishing for material things, often making their own needs
secondary and undervaluing their own talents and abilities.
4. The Neurotic Need for Power
Individuals with this need seek power for its own sake. They usually praise strength, despise
weakness, and will exploit or dominate other people. These people fear personal limitations,
helplessness, and uncontrollable situations.
5. The Neurotic Need to Exploit Others
These individuals view others in terms of what can be gained through association with them.
People with this need generally pride themselves in their ability to exploit other people and are
often focused on manipulating others to obtain desired objectives, including such things as ideas,
power, money, or sex.
6. The Neurotic Need for Prestige
Individuals with a need for prestige value themselves in terms of public recognition and acclaim.
Material possessions, personality characteristics, professional accomplishments, and loved ones
are evaluated based upon prestige value. These individuals often fear public embarrassment and
loss of social status.
7. The Neurotic Need for Personal Admiration
Individuals with a neurotic need for personal admiration are narcissistic and have an exaggerated
self-perception. They want to be admired based on this imagined self-view, not upon how they
really are.
8. The Neurotic Need for Personal Achievement
According to Horney, people push themselves to achieve greater and greater things as a result of
basic insecurity. These individuals fear failure and feel a constant need to accomplish more than
other people and to top even their own earlier successes.
9. The Neurotic Need for Self-Sufficiency and Independence
These individuals exhibit a “loner” mentality, distancing themselves from others in order to avoid
being tied down or dependent upon other people.
10. The Neurotic Need for Perfection and Unassailability
These individuals constantly strive for complete infallibility. A common feature of this neurotic
need is searching for personal flaws in order to quickly change or cover up these perceived
imperfections.
Psychodynamic: Neo-Freudians
Name:________________________
Carl Jung:
1. According to Jung a __________________ or _________________ exists between the ego and
the outside world.
2. Define the term in the first blank in question #1.
3. The actions of the ego may reflect attitudes of _______________(_____________________
4. _____________) or of _____________________(__________________________________).
5. Define personal unconscious.
6. Define collective unconscious and list 5 examples.
7. According to Jung what is an archetype?
8. What are the two particularly important types of archetypes?
9. Compare Freud’s view to Jung’s:
A man dreams of dancing with his sister. What would Freud say this guy’s dream signifies? What
would Adler say the dream signifies?
10. According to Jung what is the most important archetype of all? What does it represent?
11. According to Jung, how do we become richer and more completely human?
12. Jung was the first to use the term ____________________________ to describe a striving for
completion and unity.
Alfred Adler:
13. Adler believed the driving force of people’s lives is a desire to
__________________________________________________________.
14. Everyone struggles with_______________________.
15. A person who continually tries to compensate for their weakness and avoid feelings of
inadequacy as having an _____________________
__________________.
16. According to Adler, what is the effect of overpampering on children’s personality development?
17. According to Adler, what is the effect of a neglectful parent on a child’s personality developmet?
18. Whether neglected or overpampered, children experiencing one of these household dynamics as a
child will grow up to ____________________________________________________________.
Other Neo-Freudians:
19. ___________________________accepted Freud’s basic theory, but outlines eight stages
psychosocial stages that every person goes through from birth to death.
20. Karen Horney theorized that people control basic anxiety by moving toward, away from, and
____________________ others.