Karen Horney - Flashcards
What is psychoanalytical social theory according to Horney
built on assumption that social and cultural conditions espectially childhood experiences are responsible for shaping personality
people who dont have their needs met (for love and affection) they develop basic hostility and then this become basic anxiety
Basic hostility according to Horney
child does not get the needs from parents
Repressed feelings of rage that originate during childhood when children fear that their parents will not satisfy their needs for safety and satisfaction. – if this is consistent experience or expectation. We tend to approach the world in a very hostile way.
Basic anxiety according to Horney
it combines with basic hostility. Again if we don’t grow in environment where we feel more than less safety and satisfaction, we will feel alone and isolated. Ie separation from the world
Favourable conditions provide children with feelings of safety and satisfaction which allow them to grow and these conditions include: – according to Horney
1) A warm and loving environment – focus similar to other psychoanalysts,
2) An environment that is not overly permissive
Horney argued that social and cultural values, particularly in Western societies, can present contradictions that individuals have to navigate in their personality (ego) development.
what are examples in todays society
you only live once vs put the work in
Content creators have to be authentic, but people expect them to be perfect
Beauty standards vs authenticity – put into a social pedestal
Horney argued that “modern” and “western” culture was based on..
competition
What are horneys comments on impacts of culture on personality
she observed and commented on western culture
1) they are in a vicious cycle where they are imbued in kinship and humilty but they also run on aggressiveness and drive to win or be superior (paradox between being kind but being aggressive and strive for superiority)
2) The society demands for success and achievement are endless. so even if you achieve a material ambition, additional goals are being placed before you (aka theres no end to the goals)
Importance of childhood experience according to horney
neurotic conflict starts during development stages – childhood especially
eg. traumatic events
eg. a difficult child is responsible for neurotic needs – the needs are powerful cause the kid wants a feeling of safetyTrauma can take any forms, she suggest that trauma traced back to what is perceived from lack of warmth and affection
The lack of Love and affection can lead to and strengthen neurotic needs (if we focus too much to that), they become only means of feeling a sense of safety .
What shes interested in: sum total of childhood experience bring out a character structure . A lot of the patients she was seeings had rigidly repeat patterns of behavior (coping mechanism) they interpret those with experience in a way that it is consistent with those patterns
Neurotic trends according to Horney
Moving toward people
Moving against people
Moving away from people
Moving toward people
as a neurotic trend it involves protection against feelings of helplessness
Moving against people
as a neurotic trend it involves protection against the hostility of others by adopting an aggressive strategy (power, exploitation, ambition and achievement, prestige)
Moving away from people
as a neurotic trend it involves protection against feelings of isolation by adopting a detached attitude (detached attitude, focusing on being independent like self sufficiency,)
For Horney, the general goal of psychotherapy was to help patients gradually grow in the direction of
self-realization
to gain that self realization, Horney focused on helping patients understand the differences between their
idealized self-image and their real self
Idealized self image
attempt to solve conflicts by painting a godlike picture of oneself
- neurotic search of gloty , claim and pride
Self hatred
interrelated yet equally irrational and powerful tendency to despise one’s real self
- either self contempt or alienation from self
What were some techniques horney used that are similar to freud
emphasis on dream analysis and free association
due to their potential to provide insight about differences between the ideal and the real self
Is horney theory falsifiable and does it generate research
No it is not
the hypotheses are not testifiabel
is horney theory provide data for framework
yes to some degree - when looking at what she has observed ( the neurotic patients)
although theres a lack of general public observations
does horney theory provide a guide of application
to some extend yes. like how to provide a safe, warm environment similarly to kline
but not more than that
does horney theory present consistency
the general theory yes but some concepts dont like neurotic needs and neurotic trends
is horney theory parsimmonious
yes , it is straightforward, simple,
