Who is Horney?
INFORMATION FOR TODAY
KAREN HORNEY
As both an outstanding medical student and young mother who was coping
with difficulties in her own marriage,
Karen Horney, (pronounced Horn-eye), became depressed. She entered
therapy, but was very disappointed with the
process as well as the basic principles of psychoanalysis.
(Undergoing the process of therapy made her more
sensitive to the needs of a client, as it will do for any therapist.)
Becoming actively outspoken against Freud’s theory
that many of the abnormalities seen in women relate directly to their
frustrated wishes to be men, Horney rejected
Freud’s concept of penis envy and the Oedipus complex. According to
Horney, anatomy is not necessarily destiny,
and it is the cultural forces in a patriarchal society that
indoctrinate male superiority. Maintaining that women must
realize their inferiority feelings are based on unconscious acceptance
of a belief in male superiority, Horney looked
to the development of a more democratic and egalitarian society as the
answer. Horney also rejected Freud’s theory
of female masochism. In dealing with a potentially hostile world, she
viewed people as moving toward (feeling),
moving against (action). or moving away (thinking).
Out of her departure from Freudian psychoanalysis, Horney came up with
a description of ten neurotic needs:
1. The need for affection and approval.
2. The need for a partner who will take over one’s life.
3. The need to restrict one’s life within narrow borders.
4. The need for power.
5. The need to exploit others.
6. The need for social recognition and prestige.
7. The need for personal admiration.
8. The need for personal achievement.
9. The need for self-sufficiency and independence.
10. The need for perfection and inaccessibility.
Because Horney perceived similarities and commonalties among these ten
needs, she grouped people displaying
certain ones predominantly into three distinct categories.
1. Compliant types–These people have needs connected with moving
toward people. The need for affection and
approval, the need for control by a partner, and the need for a life
within restricted borders mark neuroses of
compliant types.
2. Aggressive types–With a neurotic need for power, these people
believe others are hostile and untrustworthy.
Highly competitive, aggressive types are driven to demonstrate
continually that they are the strongest or the
smartest. The main reason for having people in their lives is
enhancement of their own prestige, wealth, or power.
3. Detached types–Displaying needs associated with moving away from
others, these people display neuroses
marked by needs for self-sufficiency and perfection. Generally
solitary, detached types tend to operate in total
secrecy and are very reluctant to reveal even the most basic and
trivial details of their lives, On a positive note, they
are not conforming robots; they will fight for their beliefs. Since
they never want to be influenced or obligated, this
independence can be negative.
