Overview of Psychoanalytic Social Theory

Karen Horney's Psychoanalytic Social Theory centers on the idea that social and cultural conditions,
particularly childhood experiences, significantly shape personality. She posited that unmet needs for love
and affection during childhood lead to feelings of basic hostility toward parents. This hostility results in
basic anxiety, which influences how individuals interact with others.

Ways of Relating to Others

Horney identified three fundamental styles of relating to others as coping mechanisms for basic anxiety:

1. Moving Toward People: Seeking affection and approval from others.

2. Moving Against People: Displaying aggression and dominance to compensate for feelings of
insecurity.
3. Moving Away from People: Withdrawing and distancing oneself from others to avoid anxiety.

Normal individuals may use any of these styles, but neurotics become fixated on one. This rigid behavior
creates an intrapsychic conflict, leading to either an idealized self-image or self-hatred.

Self-Image Dynamics

Idealized Self-Image: This manifests in several forms:

o Neurotic Search for Glory: Striving for unrealistic standards and achievements.
o Neurotic Claims: Believing one deserves special treatment and recognition.
o Neurotic Pride: Excessive self-esteem that masks underlying insecurities.

Self-Hatred: This can be expressed through:

o Self-Contempt: A negative view of oneself.

o Alienation from Self: Feeling disconnected from one’s true identity

Biography of Karen Horney

Karen Horney was born on September 15, 1885, in Eilbek, near Hamburg, Germany. She was the only
daughter of Berndt Danielsen, a sea captain, and Clothilda van Ronzelen Danielsen. Horney had an older
brother and several half-siblings from her father's previous marriage. The family dynamics were strained,
with Horney feeling unloved and unwanted, especially due to the favoritism shown to her older brother. She
idolized her mother, who provided her with support against their stern, religious father, whom Horney
viewed as a hypocrite.

 Education and Early Aspirations

At the age of 13, Horney decided to pursue a medical career, but initially faced barriers since no
German university accepted women. By 16, she enrolled in gymnasium, which prepared her for
university, despite her father's opposition. In 1906, she entered the University of Freiburg, becoming
one of the first women in Germany to study medicine.
 Marriage and Psychoanalysis
Horney met Oskar Horney, a political science student, during her studies. They married in 1909 and
settled in Berlin. After her marriage, she began her psychoanalytic training with Karl Abraham, a close
associate of Freud. Horney's early work reflected traditional Freudian views, but she began to develop
her own theories over time.

During her marriage, Horney faced personal challenges, including the deaths of her parents and the births of
three daughters in five years. She received her MD in 1915, and her marriage to Oskar was marked by ups
and downs, culminating in separation in 1926.
 Development of Ideas
After separating from Oskar, Horney became more productive, engaging in writing, teaching, and
lecturing. She increasingly challenged Freudian theory, advocating for the role of culture over anatomy
in shaping psychological differences between genders.

In 1932, Horney left Germany due to the anti-Jewish climate (despite not being Jewish) and her growing
unorthodoxy. She took a position at the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute, where she met prominent figures
like Margaret Mead and Erich Fromm. Horney moved to New York after two years and taught at the New
School for Social Research, becoming involved with a group of like-minded analysts.

 Leadership and Contributions

Horney published "New Ways in Psychoanalysis" in 1939, which challenged traditional instinct theory
and emphasized ego and social influences. In 1941, she resigned from the New York Psychoanalytic
Institute due to ideological disagreements and co-founded the Association for the Advancement of
Psychoanalysis, which later became the Karen Horney Psychoanalytic Institute after a series of
conflicts.

Her pivotal work, "Neurosis and Human Growth," was published in 1950 and showcased her independent
theories, marking her departure from solely reacting to Freudian ideas.

 Death
Karen Horney passed away from cancer on December 4, 1952, at the age of 65. Her life and work
significantly contributed to psychoanalysis, particularly in understanding the influence of social and
cultural factors on personality development.

Introduction to Psychoanalytic Social Theory

Karen Horney's Early Influences

Karen Horney's initial writings were influenced by Freudian theory, similar to Adler, Jung, and Klein.
Eventually, she became disillusioned with orthodox psychoanalysis and created a revisionist theory shaped
by her personal and clinical experiences.

Role of Culture in Personality Development

Horney emphasized that culture and early childhood experiences are crucial in shaping personality, whether
it leads to neurosis or healthy development. While she agreed with Freud on the importance of early trauma,
she argued that social forces are more significant than biological ones in personality formation.

Horney and Freud Compared: Critiques of Freud's Theories

Horney criticized Freud on multiple fronts:

1. Stagnation in Psychoanalysis: She warned that strict adherence to Freud's methods could lead to
stagnation in both theory and practice.
2. Feminine Psychology: Horney objected to Freud's ideas on feminine psychology, arguing they
were inadequate and needed reevaluation.
3. Cultural Influences: Horney asserted that psychoanalysis should prioritize cultural influences
over instinct theory. She believed people are motivated by "safety and satisfaction" rather than solely
by pleasure. Neuroses arise from attempts to navigate societal pressures, which she viewed as a
"wilderness full of unknown dangers."

Acknowledgment of Freud's Insights

Her main disagreement was with his interpretations, which she believed fostered a pessimistic view of
humanity based on innate instincts. In contrast, Horney advocated for a more optimistic perspective,
highlighting the potential for change through cultural influences.
The Impact of Culture

 Karen Horney believed that while genetics matter, culture has a bigger impact on our personalities.
 She said that modern society creates a lot of competition, which makes people feel alone and hostile.
This loneliness leads to a stronger desire for love, making many think love is the answer to their
problems.
 While real love can help us grow, needing it too much can cause neuroses, like low self-esteem and
anxiety.
 Horney pointed out three ways Western culture makes things worse: it promotes mixed messages about
being humble and being aggressive, it pushes people to keep achieving more and more, and it gives the
false idea that everyone is free to succeed. These contradictions create inner conflicts that hurt normal
people and make life even harder for those with neuroses.

Impact of Chilhood Experiences

 Karen Horney thought most personality issues start in childhood. While problems can happen at any
age, early experiences are the most impactful.
 Traumas like abuse, neglect, or rejection can deeply affect a child’s future. She believed the main issue
often comes from a lack of real love and care.
 Horney's own childhood, especially not getting love from her father, shaped her ideas. She said tough
childhoods create strong needs for safety and love. It’s not just one bad event that shapes someone; it’s
the overall mix of early experiences.

These early relationships lay the groundwork for how people act later in life, causing them to see new
situations based on old patterns.

Basic Hostility and Basic Anxiety

 Karen Horney believed that everyone has the potential for healthy growth, but they need a loving and
disciplined environment to thrive. Children require real love and appropriate limits to feel safe and
develop their true selves. However, if parents cannot provide this love due to their own issues, children
can feel basic hostility toward them. Instead of expressing this anger, children often hide it, leading to
feelings of insecurity and fear, which she called basic anxiety. This anxiety is a constant feeling of
being small and helpless in a potentially hostile world.

 These two are “inextricably interwoven” - basic hostility and anxiety are closely connected. Hostility
can cause anxiety, and anxiety can lead to more hostility. For example, a young man with hidden anger
felt anxious during a hike with a woman he loved, fearing he might push her off a cliff. This situation
shows how repressed feelings can create anxiety.
 Horney also described four ways people protect themselves from basic anxiety.

i. Affection - they might seek affection, sometimes in unhealthy ways, like trying to buy love.
Example: A person may constantly please others or give gifts, hoping to gain affection,
which often results in feelings of inadequacy when love isn't reciprocated.

ii. Submissiveness - they may become submissive to others or institutions, hoping to gain love or
approval.
Example: An employee agrees to unreasonable demands from a boss to avoid conflict,
sacrificing their own needs for approval.

iii. Neurotics often protect themselves by wanting power, prestige, or possession. Power helps
them feel safe by trying to control others. Prestige protects them from feeling embarrassed, so
they might put others down to feel better about themselves. Possession give them a sense of
security against being poor, which can make them want to take away from others.
iv. Withdrawal - they can withdraw emotionally, detaching themselves from others to avoid being
hurt.
Example: After being betrayed by friends, an individual may isolate themselves, believing it's safer to be
alone, which ultimately leads to loneliness and deeper anxiety.

Compulsive Drives

Neurotics have the same problems as everyone else but feel them more intensely. Normal people cope in
different ways, while neurotics keep using the same bad strategy. They don't like being unhappy but feel
stuck. They can't change on their own, so their efforts to reduce anxiety often make things worse. This leads
to low self-esteem, anger, and a need for power, which increases their anxiety even more

Neurotic Needs
Horney tentatively identified 10 categories of neurotic needs that characterize neurotics in their attempts to
combat basic anxiety:

1. Need for Affection and Approval: Neurotics try hard to please others and fear asserting
themselves. They are uncomfortable with both external and internal hostility.

2. Need for a Powerful Partner: They often seek strong partners due to low self-confidence and
fear being alone.

3. Need to Live Within Limits: Neurotics tend to avoid attention, downplay their abilities, and don’t
want to make demands on others.

4. Need for Power: They want control over others to hide feelings of weakness or inadequacy. This
need often connects with wanting prestige and possessions.

5. Need to Exploit Others: Neurotics assess people based on how they can be useful but also fear
being taken advantage of.

6. Need for Recognition or Prestige: Some try to combat anxiety by seeking to be the center of
attention or to feel important.

7. Need for Personal Admiration: They crave admiration for who they are rather than what they
own, relying on others' approval for self-esteem.

8. Need for Ambition and Achievement: Neurotics have a strong drive to be the best at everything
and feel they must outdo others to feel superior.

9. Need for Independence: Many try to prove they can be self-sufficient by distancing themselves
from others, like a playboy avoiding commitment.

10. Need for Perfection: They strive for perfection to feel good about themselves and fear mistakes,
working hard to hide any weaknesses.

Neurotic Trends

 Horney categorized neurotic needs into three main attitudes, known as neurotic trends:
 Moving Toward People: This trend involves seeking affection and approval from others,
often resulting in people-pleasing behaviors.
 Moving Against People: This attitude includes trying to dominate or control others, often
driven by feelings of insecurity.
 Moving Away from People: Here, individuals distance themselves from others to
maintain independence and avoid vulnerability.
 Horney believed these trends applied to both neurotic and normal individuals. However, there are
key differences:
 Awareness: Normal people are generally aware of their attitudes, while neurotics are often
unaware.
 Choice: Normal individuals can choose their actions freely, whereas neurotics feel
compelled to act based on their trends.
 Conflict Level: Normal people may experience mild internal conflict, while neurotics face
intense, unresolved conflict.
 Strategy Variety: Normal individuals can adopt various strategies, but neurotics tend to
rely on one dominant trend.

Basic Conflict

 Horney noted that people often use neurotic trends to cope with basic conflicts, but these methods are
usually unhelpful or unhealthy. She referred to this struggle as basic conflict because young children
naturally feel the urge to connect with others (moving toward), to assert themselves (moving against),
and to withdraw (moving away).

1. Moving Toward People - This trend involves seeking affection and approval from others as a way to
cope with feelings of helplessness. It reflects a form of morbid dependency, similar to codependency.

 Characteristics: Individuals may view themselves as loving and generous but often feel
inferior. They may subordinate their needs to gain acceptance.
 Examples: A person who constantly seeks validation from friends and avoids expressing their
opinions for fear of rejection.
2. Moving Against People - This trend involves being aggressive and exploitative, viewing others as
potential threats. It is driven by a need for power and superiority.

 Characteristics: Aggressive individuals often feel the need to dominate and exploit others.
They are motivated by ambition, prestige, and personal achievement.
 Examples: A competitive coworker who undermines others to climb the corporate ladder,
showing little regard for collaboration or teamwork.
3. Moving Away from People - This trend involves detachment and independence, often as a defense
against feelings of isolation. Individuals may withdraw from social interactions to protect themselves.

 Characteristics: Detached individuals prioritize self-sufficiency and often build emotional

barriers, appearing aloof and unapproachable. They fear closeness but also fear needing others.
 Examples: A person who avoids social gatherings, preferring solitude, and creating a lifestyle
that isolates them from friends and family.

Conclusion
Horney’s neurotic trends illustrate how individuals cope with basic anxieties and conflicts. Each trend
presents its own set of neurotic needs, leading to specific personality types. In contrast, normal
individuals reflect healthy behaviors that can balance these tendencies.

Intrapsychic conflicts

Horney recognized that intrapsychic conflicts, or internal struggles, are crucial in understanding personality
development. These conflicts arise from a person's experiences with others but evolve into separate beliefs
and feelings over time.

 Two key intrapsychic conflicts Horney identified are:

1. Idealized Self-Image: This is when individuals create a perfect version of themselves, attempting
to solve their conflicts by envisioning an ideal self that is godlike and flawless.
 2. Self-Hatred: This is the opposing conflict where individuals despise their real selves. As people
invest in their idealized image, their actual self often falls short, leading to feelings of alienation and
self-loathing.

The Idealized Self-Image

 Horney believed that, in a nurturing environment, people develop security and confidence, leading them
toward self-realization. However, negative influences can create feelings of isolation and inferiority. To
cope with this, individuals often create an idealized self-image, which is an exaggeratedly positive view
of themselves.
 Types of Idealized Self-Images:
 Compliant Individuals: See themselves as good and saintly.
 Aggressive Individuals: View themselves as strong and heroic.
 Detached Individuals: See themselves as wise and self-sufficient.

Three Aspects of the Idealized Self-Image:

1. Neurotic Search for Glory - This refers to the drive to align one’s life with their idealized self. It
includes:

 Need for Perfection: Neurotics strive for complete perfection, creating strict “shoulds”
and “should nots” for themselves.
 Neurotic Ambition: This is a strong drive to excel and be superior, which can manifest in
various life areas, from academics to personal achievements.
 Vindictive Triumph: This destructive drive seeks to achieve success at the expense of
others, aiming to shame or humiliate them, often as a response to past humiliations.

2. Neurotic Claims - Neurotics build a fantasy world where they see themselves as special and
entitled to privileges. When their unrealistic expectations aren't met, they feel indignant and
confused, believing they deserve better treatment than others.

3. Neurotic Pride - This is a false pride based on the idealized self rather than on real achievements.
Unlike genuine self-esteem, which is grounded in reality, neurotic pride needs constant validation
and leads to hurt feelings when others don't recognize their self-perceived greatness. To protect their
pride, neurotics often avoid those who challenge their inflated self-image.

Conclusion
Horney's exploration of intrapsychic conflicts highlights the gap between one's real self and an
idealized self-image, leading to feelings of alienation and self-hatred. These internal struggles are
crucial in understanding neurotic behavior and personality development.

Summary of Horney's Concept of Self-Hatred

Overview: Horney posits that individuals who engage in a neurotic search for glory cannot attain
happiness because their real selves fall short of the unattainable standards set by their idealized
selves. This discrepancy leads to self-hatred, as they measure their actual selves against a glorified,
godlike image that feels embarrassing and inadequate.

Expressions of Self-Hatred
Horney identifies six primary ways in which self-hatred is expressed:

1. Relentless Self-Demands: Individuals impose unending demands on themselves, exemplified by the

"tyranny of the should." They strive for perfection even after achieving success, believing they should be
flawless.
2. Merciless Self-Accusation: Neurotics constantly criticize themselves, feeling like impostors despite any
achievements. This self-accusation can range from mild self-doubt to extreme feelings of guilt for events
beyond their control.
3. Self-Contempt: This involves belittling and disparaging oneself. Individuals may doubt their worth or
abilities, attributing successes to luck rather than talent or hard work, thus reinforcing their self-hatred.
4. Self-Frustration: Horney distinguishes this from healthy self-discipline. Self-frustration prevents
individuals from enjoying life, leading them to deny themselves pleasure or success due to feelings of
unworthiness.
5. Self-Torment: Some individuals intentionally inflict pain or suffering on themselves, finding masochistic
satisfaction in their struggles. This can manifest in various ways, from exaggerated reactions to pain to
engaging in harmful behaviors.
6. Self-Destructive Actions and Impulses: These actions can be physical (like substance abuse or reckless
behavior) or psychological (such as sabotaging relationships or career opportunities). This self-destruction
can occur both consciously and unconsciously.

Horney's Feminine Psychology

Overview: Karen Horney challenged traditional psychoanalytic views, particularly Freud's theories
about women. She argued that the differences between men and women arise not from anatomy but from
cultural and social expectations. This perspective reframed concepts like the Oedipus complex and penis
envy, focusing instead on the effects of societal pressures and neurotic competitiveness.

Key Concepts in Horney's Feminine Psychology

1. Cultural Influence: Horney believed that societal expectations shape psychological differences. Men
oppress women and women may envy men due to a shared neurotic competitiveness, rooted in basic anxiety.

2. Oedipus Complex: Horney recognized the Oedipus complex but attributed it to environmental factors
rather than biological ones. She argued that such behaviors in children are expressions of neurotic needs for
love and security rather than inherently sexual.

3. Penis Envy: Horney rejected the idea of penis envy, suggesting that women do not inherently desire male
anatomy, just as men do not desire female anatomy. Instead, any perceived envy stems from a wish for
qualities culturally viewed as masculine.

4. Masculine Protest: Horney noted that some women may exhibit a "masculine protest," believing men are
superior. This belief can lead to a neurotic desire to possess masculine qualities or privileges.

5. Moving Beyond Gender Differences: By 1935, Horney was more focused on understanding the common
psychological experiences of all genders rather than emphasizing differences. She argued that rigid
standards of masculinity and femininity are artificial and hinder personal development.