Karen Horney Flashcards
According to Horney, which two factors play a major role in shaping human personality?
SOCIAL and CULTURAL conditions
(most especially childhood experiences)
A person grows up in a household lacking warmth and affection, leading to a feeling of resentment and hostility toward their parents. What does Horney call this feeling?
Basic hostility
If a child does not feel loved or secure, they may develop an ongoing sense of being lonely and helpless. What term did Horney use to describe this feeling?
Basic anxiety
A person experiences inner conflict due to societal expectations, making them feel inadequate. According to Horney, what is a major cause of this conflict?
Cultural influences
Someone constantly seeks affection and approval to feel secure. Which of Horney’s ways of self-protection against basic anxiety is this?
Securing affection and love
A person avoids conflicts by complying with others’ wishes, believing that submission will protect them from harm. Which self-protective behavior is this?
Being submissive
When faced with social anxiety, someone withdraws emotionally and avoids deep connections. Which self-protection method are they using?
Withdrawing psychologically
A person exerts control and seeks positions of power to compensate for feelings of helplessness. Which self-protection strategy does this represent?
Attaining power over others
A child becomes angry and hostile due to a lack of parental warmth. According to Horney, what type of anger is this?
Basic hostility
If a child feels fearful and insecure due to a lack of affection from their parents, they are likely to develop what?
Basic anxiety
According to Horney, what is the primary influence on a child’s personality development?
The relationship between the child and the parents
A person avoids making big life changes and prefers stability, even if it means missing out on new opportunities. Which neurotic need are they displaying?
Neurotic need to restrict one’s life within narrow borders
Someone has an intense need for admiration and validation, always seeking praise from others. Which neurotic need does this represent?
Neurotic need for personal admiration
A person is compelled to achieve high status and gain recognition in social circles. Which neurotic need does this behavior fulfill?
Neurotic need for social recognition/prestige
If an individual constantly tries to exploit others for personal gain, seeing people as tools for achieving their goals, which neurotic need are they exhibiting?
Neurotic need to exploit others
Someone constantly seeks positions of authority, needing to feel they’re in control and above others. Which neurotic need is this?
Neurotic need for power
A person prefers to be alone and avoids dependency on anyone, believing self-sufficiency is crucial to their identity. Which neurotic need might they be expressing?
Neurotic need for self-sufficiency and independence
When a person is intensely competitive, striving to outperform everyone else around them, which neurotic need could this be an example of?
Neurotic need for ambition and personal achievement
An individual obsesses over being perfect, constantly criticizing their performance and appearance to eliminate any flaws. Which neurotic need are they experiencing?
Neurotic need for perfection and unassailability
An individual relies on a strong, supportive partner for all major decisions and feels lost when alone. Which neurotic need could this indicate?
Neurotic need for a powerful partner
A person tends to be controlling, exploitative, and strives to appear powerful to avoid feeling vulnerable. Which neurotic trend are they displaying?
Moving against people
Someone is always seeking approval and validation, believing that others’ support is necessary for their self-worth. Which neurotic trend is this?
Moving toward people
If a person distances themselves emotionally from others to maintain their independence, which neurotic trend are they exhibiting?
Moving away from people
What does Horney refer to as the core of a person’s being, representing their true potential?
The real self
The state where a person can freely pursue and fulfill their potential
Self-realization
A person believes they must be perfect and uncriticizable to feel valued. What intrapsychic conflict might they be struggling with?
Idealized self-image
When a person’s real self does not meet their high self-expectations, they begin to despise themselves. What term does Horney use to describe this feeling?
Self-hatred
Someone seeks superiority and success in every area of life, feeling that they must always be the best. Which aspect of the idealized self-image is this?
Neurotic ambition
A person believes they must be flawless in all aspects of life, driven by an internal “should.” Which aspect of the idealized self-image is this?
Need for perfection
A person seeks to prove others wrong or make them feel inferior through their own success. Which drive within the idealized self-image does this represent?
Drive toward vindictive triumph
A person engages in reckless behaviors, seeming to harm themselves intentionally. Which self-hatred expression is this?
Self-destructive actions and impulses
A person constantly accuses themselves of failures and flaws, never forgiving their own mistakes. Which form of self-hatred does this demonstrate?
Merciless self-accusation
Someone deliberately avoids joy or success, believing they don’t deserve it. Which form of self-hatred does this show?
Self-frustration
What psychological tendency did Horney say men display to subjugate women, stemming from basic anxiety?
The need to subjugate women
Horney suggested that a girl’s desire to be like a man is not a sign of penis envy. What did she argue this desire actually reflects?
A wish for qualities or privileges considered masculine in society
When someone projects their insecurities onto others to avoid dealing with their own inner conflicts, what defense mechanism are they using?
Externalization
A person behaves differently in various settings, keeping these behaviors separate to avoid inner conflict. Which protective structure is this?
Compartmentalization
A person ignores certain flaws in themselves that don’t align with their ideal self-image. Which protective structure is this?
Blind spots
A person justifies questionable actions by giving “good” reasons that align with their ideal self-image. Which defensive mechanism is this?
Rationalization
A person asserts their opinion as the only correct answer, refusing to acknowledge any doubts. Which protective mechanism does this describe?
Arbitrary rightness
Someone avoids displaying any emotion to prevent feeling overwhelmed by them. What form of artificial harmony are they practicing?
Excessive self-control
Someone dismisses all moral values as pointless to avoid facing disappointment or conflict. Which defense mechanism is this?
Cynicism
A person avoids taking a stance on issues to avoid being judged or proven wrong. Which artificial harmony approach is this?
Elusiveness
A person undergoes therapy to improve their self-awareness and behavior, believing they can make lasting changes. Which of Horney’s principles supports this belief?
Optimism-Positivism Principle
A person develops a personality style that fits their values and beliefs but also allows them to act freely within those boundaries. Which principle explains this structure?
Character-Structure Principle
A person feels pressured to adhere to certain social norms that are deeply embedded in their community’s culture. Which principle of Horney’s theory would explain this influence?
Society-Culture Principle
A person uses journaling to reflect on their emotions, attempting to understand their behavior and address personal issues. Which principle of Horney’s theory does this practice exemplify?
Self-Analysis Principle
A person experiences ongoing anxiety and internal conflict as a result of their troubled childhood relationships. Which principle of Horney’s theory explains this situation?
Complementation-Conflict Principle
A person begins to see themselves as a valuable individual, aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Which principle of Horney’s theory describes this awareness?
Self-Concept Principle
