Karen Horney was a German psychoanalyst who developed theories about how social and cultural conditions, especially childhood experiences, shape personality. She believed that people whose needs for love and affection are not satisfied in childhood develop basic anxiety and hostility towards their parents. Horney identified three neurotic strategies people use to cope: moving towards people, moving against people, and moving away from people. She argued that normal individuals flexibly use all three strategies, while neurotics rigidly adhere to just one.
2. Born on September 16, 1885, Germany
Youngest, only daughter, of a Ship Captain
and his second wife.
Victorian upbringing - religion
Romantic tendencies towards an older
brother.
Became a teacher for 3 years to save for
medical school.
Triggered by misogynist articles
3. Married a successful lawyer, Oskar Horney.
Produced 3 daughters.
Death of family members
1913 – Interest in Psychoanalysis
Visits to Karl Abraham, disciple of Freud
1926 – divorce from Husband, transfer to the
US.
1952 – Died in her sleep
4. Social and cultural
conditions, especially
childhood experiences,
are largely responsible
for shaping personality.
5. People whose need
for love and affection
satisfied develop basic
hostility towards their
parents and
eventually, basic
anxiety.
6. Moving Toward People
Moving Against People
Moving Away from People
Normal individuals do this
but neurotics tend to rigidly
on one.
7. 1. Emphasis on culture in shaping personality.
2. Importance of Childhood experiences.
3. Neuroses is a result of man’s attempts to
find the paths through a wilderness of
unknown dangers.
8. When safety and satisfaction is not felt by
the child.
Refusal of parents to love their children.
Interwoven with Basic Hostility
9. Affection
Purchasing love
Submissiveness
compliance
Power
Prestige, possession
Withdrawal
Emotional detachment
15. 8. NEED FOR AMBITION 9. NEED FOR INDEPENDENCE
9. NEED FOR PERFECTION
16. NORMAL DEFENSES NEUROTIC DEFENSES
Spontaneous Movement Compulsive Movement
Toward People Toward People
▪ Friendly & loving ▪ compliant
Against People Against People
▪ Survivor in a ▪ aggressive
competitive society Away from People
Away from People
▪ detached
▪ Autonomous, serene