5- Horney [Psychoanalytic Social Theory] PDF

Preview

Summary

Download 5- Horney [Psychoanalytic Social Theory] PDF

Description

Chapter 6 Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory

Chapter 6 Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory

Learning Objectives

After studying Chapter 6, students should be able to:

1.

Compare and contrast Horney's theory with that of Freud.

2.

Discuss Horney's concepts of basic hostility and basic anxiety.

3.

List and discuss Horney's categories of neurotic needs.

4.

Describe Horney's three neurotic trends.

5.

Explain Horney's concept of intrapsychic conflicts.

6.

Discuss the modes of expression for self-hatred.

7.

Discuss Horney's concept of feminine psychology.

8.

Discuss research on morbid dependency and explain how it relates to Horney's view of moving toward other people.

9.

Discuss research on hypercompetitiveness and explain how it relates to Horney's concept of moving against other people.

10. Explain how Horney's picture of the neurotic personality relates to normal personality.

Lecture Outline

I.

Overview of Horney's Psychoanalytic Social Theory Karen Horney built her psychoanalytic social theory on the assumption that social and cultural conditions, especially during childhood, are

Greg Feist/Tomi-Ann Roberts : Theories of Personality, 8e

IM-6 | 1

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

Chapter 6 Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory

primary influences on later personality. Although Horney's books are concerned mostly with neurotic personalities, many of her observations also apply to normal individuals. Like Klein, Horney's early ideas were influenced by Freud. However, she objected to Freud's basically masculine theory, which looked first at male development and then applied those observations to women. II. Biography of Karen Horney Karen Horney was born in Germany in 1885, the younger of two children born to a stern, devoutly religious old sea captain and his young wife. Horney was one of the first women in Germany admitted to medical school, where she specialized in psychiatry. She also became acquainted with Freudian theory and was analyzed by Karl Abraham, one of Freud's close associates. In her mid-40s, Horney left Germany to settle in the United States, first in Chicago and then in New York. She soon abandoned orthodox psychoanalysis in favor of a more socially oriented theory, one that also had a more positive view of feminine development. Horney died in 1952 at age 65. III. Introduction to Psychoanalytic Social Theory Although Horney's writings deal mostly with neuroses and neurotic personalities, her theories are also appropriate to normal development. She agreed with Freud that early childhood traumas are important, but she placed far more emphasis on social factors. A. Horney and Freud Compared Horney criticized Freudian theory on at least three accounts: (1) its rigidity toward new ideas, (2) its skewed view of feminine psychology, and (3) its overemphasis on biology and the pleasure principle. Greg Feist/Tomi-Ann Roberts : Theories of Personality, 8e

IM-6 | 2

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

Chapter 6 Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory

B. The Impact of Culture Horney insisted that modern culture is too competitive and that competition leads to hostility and feelings of isolation. These conditions lead to exaggerated needs for affection and cause people to overvalue love. Both normal and neurotic personalities experience intrapsychic conflicts through their desperate attempts to find love. C. The Importance of Childhood Experiences Most neurotic conflict stems from childhood traumas, most of which are traced to lack of genuine love. Children who do not receive genuine affection feel threatened and adopt rigid behavioral patterns in an attempt to gain love. IV. Basic Hostility and Basic Anxiety All children need feelings of safety and security, but these can be gained only through the love of their parents. Unfortunately, parents often neglect, dominate, reject, or overindulge their child, conditions that lead to the child's feelings of basic hostility toward the parents. However, children often repress their feelings of basic hostility, which leads to feelings of deep insecurity and a pervasive sense of apprehension called basic anxiety. People can protect themselves from basic anxiety by (1) affection, (2) submissiveness, (3) power or prestige, and (4) withdrawal. Normal people have the flexibility to use any or all of these approaches, but neurotics are compelled to rely rigidly on only one. V. Compulsive Drives Neurotics frequently are trapped in a vicious circle in which their compulsive need to reduce basic anxiety leads to a variety of self-

Greg Feist/Tomi-Ann Roberts : Theories of Personality, 8e

IM-6 | 3

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

Chapter 6 Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory

defeating behaviors; these behaviors then produce more basic anxiety, and the circle continues. A. Neurotic Needs In her early theory, Horney identified 10 neurotic needs that mark neurotics in their attempt to reduce basic anxiety. These included the neurotic need (1) for affection and approval, (2) for a powerful partner, (3) to restrict one's life within narrow borders, (4) for power, (5) to exploit others, (6) for social recognition or prestige, (7) for personal admiration, (8) for ambition and personal achievement, (9) for self-sufficiency and independence, and (10) for perfection and unassailability. B. Neurotic Trends Later, Horney grouped these 10 neurotic needs into three basic neurotic trends, which apply to both normal and neurotic individuals in their attempt to solve basic conflict. 1. Moving Toward People People often strive to protect themselves against basic anxiety and feelings of helplessness by moving toward people. This strategy results in undue compliance to others' wishes. 2. Moving Against People Aggressive people assume that everyone is hostile, and, therefore, they adopt the strategy of moving against people, exploiting them for their own benefit. 3. Moving Away From People People who feel detached from others adopt the neurotic trend of moving away from people, insisting on privacy, independence, and selfsufficiency. Greg Feist/Tomi-Ann Roberts : Theories of Personality, 8e

IM-6 | 4

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

Chapter 6 Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory

VI. Intrapsychic Conflicts Besides these culturally-induced needs and trends, people experience inner tensions or intrapsychic conflicts. These intrapsychic conflicts become part of people's belief system and take on a life of their own, separate from the interpersonal conflicts that created them. A. The Idealized Self-Image People who do not receive love and affection during childhood are impeded in their natural tendency toward self-realization and are blocked in their attempt to acquire a stable sense of identity. Feeling alienated from self, they create an idealized self-image, that is, an extravagantly positive picture of themselves that exists only in their mind. Horney recognized three aspects of the idealized self-image. 1. The Neurotic Search for Glory As neurotic people begin to believe that their idealized self-image is real, they try to incorporate it into all aspects of their lives. This leads to the neurotic search for glory, or a comprehensive drive toward actualizing the ideal self. The neurotic search for glory includes the need for perfection (the tyranny of the should), neurotic ambition, and the drive toward a vindictive triumph. 2. Neurotic Claims Neurotic people believe that their idealized fantasy world is real and that the rest of the world is skewed. Consequently, they believe that they are entitled to special privileges and make neurotic claims on other people that are consistent with their idealized view of themselves. 3. Neurotic Pride

Greg Feist/Tomi-Ann Roberts : Theories of Personality, 8e

IM-6 | 5

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

Chapter 6 Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory

A third aspect of the idealized self-image is neurotic pride, or a false pride based not on reality but on a distorted and idealized view of self. B. Self-Hatred Neurotic individuals dislike themselves because reality always falls short of their idealized view of self. Therefore, they learn self-hatred, which can be expressed as: (1) relentless demands on self, (2) merciless selfaccusation, (3) self-contempt, (4) self-frustration, (5) self-torment or selftorture, and (6) self-destructive actions and impulses. VII. Feminine Psychology Horney believed that psychological differences between men and women are not due to anatomy but to culture and social expectations. Her view of the Oedipus complex differed markedly from Freud's in that she again insisted that any sexual attraction or hostility of child to parent would be the result of learning and not biology. VIII.

Psychotherapy

The goal of Horney's psychotherapy was to help patients grow toward self-realization, give up their idealized self-image, relinquish their neurotic search for glory, and change self-hatred to self-acceptance. Horney believed that, fortunately, patients wish to get better, even though they may find comfort in their present misery. Horney also believed that successful therapy is built on self-analysis and self-understanding. IX. Related Research Horney's theory has been one of the least productive of all personality theories in generating research. However, her ideas on neuroticism are relevant to current research. While much research on this topic focuses on its negative aspects (Borkoveec & Sharpless, 2004; Elliot & Thrash, Greg Feist/Tomi-Ann Roberts : Theories of Personality, 8e

IM-6 | 6

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

Chapter 6 Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory

2002), and this view fits with Horney’s model of neurotic trends (1942), some recent research is looking at neuroticism with less of this understandable negative bias. Under some conditions, neuroticism may have some benefits. Michael Robinson and colleagues (Robinson, Ode, Wilkowski, & Amodio, 2007) asked how one could be a “successful neurotic.” Since neurotics are predisposed to avoid threats, Robinson and his colleagues predicted that the ability to recognize threats and avoid them successfully could decrease negative mood. They found that their experiments supported this prediction. Many neurotic people are skilled at avoiding negative outcomes, and this avoidance does actually improve their daily moods, making them feel better. X. Critique of Horney Although Horney's theory has not generated much research, it has provided an interesting way of looking at humanity. The strength of her theory was her vivid portrayal of the neurotic personality. As scientific theory, however, it rates very low in generating research, low on its ability to be falsified, to organize knowledge, and to serve as a guide to action. The theory receives a moderate rating on internal consistency and parsimony. XI. Concept of Humanity Horney's concept of humanity was based mostly on her clinical experiences with neurotic patients, but it can easily be extended to normal people. In summary, Horney's view of humanity is rated high on free choice, optimism, unconscious influences, and social factors; average on causality vs. teleology; and low on uniqueness.

Greg Feist/Tomi-Ann Roberts : Theories of Personality, 8e

IM-6 | 7

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.

Chapter 6 Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory

REFERENCES Borkovec, T. D., & Sharpless, B. (2004). Generalized anxiety disorder: Bringing cognitivebehavioral therapy into the valued present. In S. C. Hayes, V. M. Follette, & M. M. Linehan (Eds.), Mindfulness and acceptance: Expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition (pp. 209–242). New York: Guilford Press. Elliot, A. J., & Thrash, T. M. (2002). Approach-avoidance motivation in personality: Approach and avoidance temperaments and goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82, 804–818. Horney, K. (1942). Self-analysis. New York: Norton Robinson, M. D., Ode, S., Wilkowski, B. M., & Amodio, D. M. (2007). Neurotic contentment: A self-regulation view of neuroticism-linked distress. Emotion, 7, 579-591.

Greg Feist/Tomi-Ann Roberts : Theories of Personality, 8e

IM-6 | 8

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part....