Karen Horney (1885-1952)
Is Karen Horney a Freudian?
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Like Freud, she believed in the
importance of unconscious motivation,
of sexual matters, but she believed that
Freud overstressed biology
Her view of human beings is more
optimistic
The Oedipal Conflict
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was seen more in terms of the social
interaction within the family, the
conflicts, patterns of dominance etc…
It involves clinging, jealousy etc… like
Freud, but for different reasons: the
child is negotiating his/her place in the
family
Gender Envy
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Karen Horney denied the importance of penis
envy (girls wishing they had a penis as Freud
proposed) --when it occurs, it is more a
matter of social comparison.
Horney introduces (perhaps somewhat
tongue in cheek), the concept of womb envy -males wishing they could give birth to a
child.
Sees the fact that one gender might envy
some feature of the other, as cultural rather
than biological.
The Cause of Neurosis
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Karen Horney thought the main source
of neurosis lied in the experience of
betrayal, of not being loved, and being
helpless to bring about that love, and
not in the dynamics of the Oedipal
conflict.
What is Basic Evil?
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Basic evil is a lack of genuine warmth and
affection for the child. The parent is not so
much abusive as indifferent, and unaware of
the effect of his/her behavior on the child.
This translates into behaviors like unjust
reproaches, unpredictable changes between
overindulgence and scornful rejection,
unfulfilled promises, ridiculing independent
thinking, disturbing friendships, spoiling the
child's interest in his/her own pursuits.
When the Child Encounters
Basic Evil
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The first reaction is hostility
But, as the child needs the parent, and
hostility threatens that bond, hostility is
repressed.
The repression of basic hostility results
in basic anxiety: feeling lonely and
helpless in a hostile world.
I Am not Worthy to Be Loved
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The "despised real self" says:
I am truly a disgraceful creature, a bad
person, someone no one can truly
love…
But I Should…
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The ideal self says:
people would love you if you were kinder,
more athletic, more outgoing, more unselfish,
a better friend, parent, mate. They would love
you if you were more courageous, more
disciplined, achieved more…
This is a neurotic solution to the conflict --as
no one can be such a person.
The Tyranny of the Shoulds
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A person can be driven by these
demands of the ideal self.
As these demands are impossible, the
attempts to satisfy the "shoulds" is
bound to fail.
Thus self hate and feelings of false guilt
increase, as well as despair and
helplessness.
Alienation from the Self
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When succumbing to the tyranny of the
"shoulds" individuals will:
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Hate themselves, not want to really know
themselves, want to run from themselves
Loose their own creativity as they strive to
please
Despair, and feel helpless in the face of
their own behavior.
Horney's Concept of the Self
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The actual self: the person you actually are -regardless of anyone's perceptions
The real self: the core of your being, your
potential, the need to be who you are truly
(the subjective view of the actual self).
The despised real self: negative view of the
self, based on the lack of love and
acceptance by others
The ideal self: the perfect self you think you
should be, so you can be loved.
How can I keep you from
hurting me?
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I'll be so nice… helpful, conforming, selfeffacing solution, moving toward people
I'll control things, manipulate, exploit, attack if
needed: the expansive solution of moving
against people
I'll grow my own protective shell, be
independent, rebellious, or not look at painful
things: the resignation solution: moving away
from people
If those Defensive Strategies
Become a Life Style
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Moving toward people leads to a
COMPLIANT personality with these traits:
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Moving against people leads to an
AGGRESSIVE personality with these traits:
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Need for affection and approval
Need for a dominant partner
Need for power, exploitation, prestige, admiration
Need for achievement
Moving away from people lead to a
DETACHED personality with these traits:
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Need for perfection
Setting narrow limits to life
Some Auxiliary Defenses(1)
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Externalization: other people become
the center of the neurotic's life. Hence,
feeling of inner emptiness.
Creation of blind spots: inability to see
how different one is from one's ideal
image
Compartmentalization between various
areas of life ex: business, family, church
Auxiliary Defenses (2)
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Rationalization:ex: I did this to make them
happy (no--to make them like you)
Excessive self-control: don't want to be
caught in any emotion, vulnerability
Arbitrary rightness: seemingly impulsive
decisions (to avoid the pain of real decision
making) that are then rationalized.
Elusiveness: constant clouding of issues
Cynicism: assuming that self-interest is the
only motivation in operation, and therefore
behaving that way oneself.
Karen Horney's Religious
Background
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Karen and her brother Brendt called
their father the "Bible-thrower" because
he would literally throw the Bible at his
wife on occasion.
Karen's father --though being a seacaptain-- had a rigid form of religion and
was very strict. Karen's mother was
more flexible.
About her Confirmation
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Karen Horney wrote in her diary:
"Confirmation was no blessing for me. On the
contrary, it was a great piece of hypocrisy, for
I professed belief in the teachings of Christ,
the doctrine of love, while carrying hatred in
my heart (and for my nearest at that [her
father]). I felt too weak to follow Christ. Yet I
long for the faith, firm as a rock, that makes
oneself and others happy."
Family Dynamics
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Karen had on-going conflicts with their
father -- though she ended up marrying
someone that shared some of these
same authoritarian qualities.
Brendt, her older brother was the
preferred one. Karen felt that she had
been unwanted. Karen was very
attached to Brendt.
Depression
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Karen Horney struggled much with
depression.
Her own struggles and difficulties helped her
understand the dynamics of neurosis.
Her analysis of neurosis has been recognized
as most insightful, and her theories are
enjoying a renewal of interest.
The End