Karen Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory
in which their compulsive need to reduce basic anxiety leads
Summary Outline
I.Overview of Horney's Psychoanalytic Social Theory
Karen Horney's psychoanalytic social theory, assumes that
social and cultural conditions, especially during childhood,
have a powerful effect on later personality. Like Melanie
Klein, Horney accepted many of Freud's observations, but she
objected to most of his interpretations, including his notions
on feminine psychology.
II.Biography of Karen Horney
Karen Horney, who was born in Germany in 1885, was one
of the first women in that country admitted to medical
school. There, she became acquainted with Freudian theory
and eventually became a psychoanalyst and a
psychiatrist. 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 had a more positive view
of feminine development. She died in 1952 at age 67.
III.Introduction to Horney's Psychoanalytic Social Theory
Although Horney's writings deal mostly with what she called
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.
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.
C. The Importance of Childhood Experiences
Neurotic conflict stems largely from childhood traumas,
most of which are traced to a 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 by love from parents. Unfortunately,
parents often neglect, dominate, reject, or overindulge their
children, conditions that lead to the child's feelings of basic
hostility toward parents. If children repress basic hostility,
they will develop feelings of 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
Neurotic individuals are frequently trapped in a vicious circle
to a variety of self-defeating behaviors; these behaviors then
produce more basic anxiety, and the circle continues.
A. Neurotic Needs
Horney identified 10 neurotic needs that mark neurotic
people in their attempt to reduce basic anxiety. These
include (1) needs for affection and approval, (2) needs for a
partner (3) needs to restrict one's life within narrow borders,
(4) needs for power, (5) needs to exploit others, (6) needs for
social recognition or prestige, (7) needs for personal
admiration, (8) needs for ambition and personal
achievement, (9) needs for self-sufficiency and
independence, and (10) needs for perfection and
unassailability.
B. Neurotic Trends
Later, Horney grouped these 10 neurotic needs into three
basic neurotic trends; (1) moving toward people, (2) moving
against people, and (3) moving away from people. Each of
these trends can apply to both normal and neurotic
individuals in their attempt to solve basic conflict. However,
whereas neurotic people are compelled to follow only one
neurotic trend, normal individuals are sufficiently flexible to
adopt all three. People who move neurotically toward
others adopt a compliant attitude in order to protect
themselves against feelings of helplessness; people who
move against others do so through aggressive behaviors that
protect them against perceived hostility from others; and
people who move away from others do so in
a detached manner that protects them against feelings of
isolation by appearing arrogant and aloof.
VI.Intrapsychic Conflicts
People also experience inner tensions or intrapsychic
conflicts that become part of their belief systems and take
on lives 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 blocked in heir attempt to acquire a stable
sense of identity. Feeling alienated from self, they create
an idealized self-image, or an extravagantly positive picture
of themselves. Horney recognized three aspects of the
idealized self-image:(1) the neurotic search for glory, or a
comprehensive drive toward actualizing the ideal self;
(2) neurotic claims, or a belief that they are entitled to
special privileges; and (3) 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 self-accusation, (3)
self-contempt, (4) self-frustration, (5) self-torment or self-
torture, and (6) self-destructive actions and impulses.
Theories of Personality: Karen Horney
VII.Feminine Psychology
Horney believed that psychological differences between _____ 2.Horney believed that most neuroses are the result
men and women are not due to anatomy but to culture and of
social expectations. Her view of the Oedipus complex a.unhealthy interpersonal relations.
differed markedly from Freud's in that she insisted that any b.an unresolved Oedipus complex.
sexual attraction or hostility the child feels for the parent c.unwise parenting.
would be the result of learning and not biology. d.underdeveloped ego strength.

VIII.Psychotherapy _____3.The life of Horney has several parallels to that of

The goal of Horney's psychotherapy was to help patients _____; for example, both were the youngest children of
grow toward self-realization, give up their idealized self- older fathers,and both had older siblings who were favored
image, relinquish their neurotic search for glory, and change by the parents.
self-hatred to self-acceptance. Horney believed that a.Carl Jung b.Alfred Adler
successful therapy is built on self-analysis and self- c.Margaret Mahler d.Melanie Klein
understanding.
______4.Horney's early professional writings were strongly
IX.Related Research influenced by
Most research on neuroticism highlights its negative a.Freud. b.Adler. c.Jung. d.Sullivan.
side. Neuroticism is associated with setting avoidance goals
rather than approach goals (Elliot & Thrash, 2002). Horney’s _____ 5.Horney criticized psychoanalysis for its
view (1942) was that neurotics compulsively protect a.concept of feminine psychology.
themselves against anxiety, and this defensive strategy traps b.overemphasis on clinical research.
them in a negative cycle. While the negative view of c.underemphasis on clinical research.
neuroticism is understandable, recent researchers have d.concept of the three levels of mental life.
begun looking at some benefits of neuroticism. A study
by Michael Robinson and colleagues asked how one could be _____6.Horney believed that cultural conditions are largely
a “successful neurotic” (Robinson, Ode, Wilkowski, & responsible for the development of
Amodio, 2007). They found that for those predisposed a.basic trust. b.basic mistrust.
toward neuroticism, the ability to react adaptively to errors c.basic anxiety. d.basic psychoses.
while assessing threat was related to less negative mood in
daily life. The conclusion was that many neurotic people, ______7.According to Horney, people are ruled by safety
while they cannot change their personalities and stop being and
neurotic, often develop great skill at avoiding negative a.sex. b.fear. c.satisfaction. d.anxiety.
outcomes, and that their successful avoidance of these
outcomes improves their mood, making them feel better on ______8.Horney believed that a competitive and hostile
a daily basis. society encourages
a.hatred. b.love.
X.Critique of Horney c.isolation. d.superiority and success.
Although Horney painted a vivid portrait of the neurotic
personality, her theory rates very low in generating research, _____9.Horney believed that people overvalue love as a
low on its ability to be falsified, to organize data, and to serve means of satisfying the need for _____.
as a useful guide to action. Her theory is rated about average a.self-esteem b.competence
on internal consistency and parsimony. c.superiority d.affection

XI.Concept of Humanity ______10.According to Horney, most neurotic individuals

Horney's concept of humanity is rated very high on social
factors, high on free choice, optimism, and unconscious
influences, and about average on causality versus teleology
and on the uniqueness of the individual.
a.are no longer motivated to find love.
b.seek love in a self-defeating fashion.
c.experience decreases in hostility.
d.develop enhanced self-esteem through their search for
love.

____11.Horney defined basic anxiety as a feeling of being

Multiple Choice a.separated from the mothering one.
b.isolated and helpless in a potentially hostile world.
______1.Which of these statements most accurately c.threatened by one's enemies.
reflects one of Horney's neurotic needs? d.incompetent in a world where others appear to be
a."I need an emotionally strong person to tell my troubles." competent.
b."it's okay with me if someone else is the life of the party."
c."I feel comfortable whenever I'm in an emotionally close ____12.Horney believed that modern society is too
relationship." a.liberal. b.conservative.
d."It's easy for me to accept my own mistakes and personal c.dangerous. d.competitive.
flaws."
Theories of Personality: Karen Horney
____13.According to Horney, neurotic behavior is a
protection against
a.feelings of inferiority.
b.basic anxiety. Answer Key
c.public disgrace.
d.exaggerated guilt. 1.a
2.a
____14Which of these is NOT one of Horney's three 3.d
neurotic trends? 4.a
a.moving against people 5.a
b.moving away from people 6.c
c.moving with people 7.c
d.moving toward people 8.c
9.d
____15.Children who feel isolated from others are likely to 10.b
develop the neurotic trend of moving 11.b
a.away from others. b.with others. 12.d
c.against others. d.toward others. 13.b
14.c
____16.The compliant person is most likely to adopt the 15.a
neurotic trend of 16.a
a.moving toward people. b.moving with people. 17.b
c.moving against people. d.moving away from people. 18d
19.e
____17.Each neurotic trend has a normal, healthy 20.d
analog. A friendly, loving person has successfully solved 21.a
the trend of moving
a.against others. b.toward others.
c.with others. d.away from others.

____18.Horney regarded the idealized self-image and self-

hatred as
a.interpersonal conflicts.
b.psychosexual conflicts.
c.psychosocial conflicts.
d.intrapsychic conflicts.
e.principal ingredients in the syndrome of decay.

____19.Contrary to Freud, Horney held that the Oedipus

complex is
a.universal.
b.found only in males.
c.found only in females.
d.the result of anatomy.
e.the result of cultural factors.

____20.The ultimate goal of Horneyian therapy is

a.the elimination of basic anxiety.
b.the solution of basic conflicts.
c.the recovery of unconscious instincts.
d.growth toward self-realization.
e.the solution of day-to-day problems.

____21.Ashley feels alienated from her femininity and

wishes that she were a man. Horney would say that
Ashley's desires originate from
a.her experiences with cultural privileges for men.
b.penis envy.
c.oedipal strivings.
d.lack of a close relationship with her mother.

Theories of Personality: Karen Horney