TOP - Horney Psychoanalytic Social Theory

Basic hostility

• Child’s anger toward parents when needs for love and security are unmet (e.g., domination, neglect, rejection)

basic anxiety

Feeling of helplessness, isolation, and insecurity in a hostile world due to repressed hostility.

1. affection

2. submissiveness

3. striving for power, prestige, and posession

4. withdrawal

4 protective mechanism

protective mechanism against basic anxiety : affection

seeking love and approval, people pleasers

protective mechanism against basic anxiety: submissiveness

yielding to others for safety

protective mechanism against basic anxiety: power, prestige, and possession

Gaining control to feel secure.

protective mechanism against basic anxiety: withdrawal

Emotional detachment to avoid being hurt.

neurotic needs: affection and approval

Need to please everyone; avoid conflict.

nurotic needs: powerful partner

Seeks protection in a dominant person.

neurotic needs: restrict life within one’s narrow border

Stays unnoticed; avoids demands.

neurotic needs: power

Controls others to prevent weakness.

neurotic needs: exploit others

Uses others for gain; fears being used.

neurotic needs: social recognition

Craves admiration, fame, or importance.

neurotic needs: personal admiration

Needs validation for who they “are.” not what they are

neurotic needs: ambition & achievement

Compulsively strives to be best.

neurotic needs: self-sufficiency & independence

Avoids relying on anyone.

neurotic needs: perfection and unassailability

Aims to be flawless, fears mistakes.

1. affection and approval

2. powerful partner

3. restrict life within narrow border

4. power

5. exploit others

6. social recognition

7. personal admiration

8. ambition & achievement

9. self-sufficiency and independence

10. perfection and unassailability

10 neurotic needs

1. moving towards people

2. moving against people

3. moving away from people

3 neurotic trends

1⃣ Moving Toward People (Compliant)

Toward

Seeks love & protection

AfPaRe

Friendly, loving

2⃣ Moving Against People (Aggressive)

Against

Seeks control & power

PESocreAdAmach

Competitive, assertive

3⃣ Moving Away from People (Detached)

Away

Seeks independence & peace

SeIPU

Autonomous, serene

🌟 IDEALIZED SELF-IMAGE

Definition: A false, perfect version of oneself created to escape feelings of inadequacy.

Purpose: To cope with basic anxiety and feel powerful or lovable.

Result: Creates conflict between real self vs. idealized self, leading to self-hatred.

1. 1⃣ Neurotic Search for Glory

2. 2⃣ Neurotic Claims

3. 3⃣ Neurotic Pride

3 aspects of idealized self-image

Neurotic search for glory

Unrealistic drive to realize the ideal self. Includes:

• Need for perfection (“I should be flawless”)

• Neurotic ambition (obsession to be best)

• Vindictive triumph (success to humiliate others)

neurotic claims

Sense of entitlement — belief that others “owe” them special treatment.

Example: feeling justified to skip lines or break rules.

neurotic pride

False pride in ideal self; fragile and defensive.

Seeks admiration, avoids criticism, and depends on validation.

self-hatred

• Definition: Deep dislike of the real self for failing to match the ideal self.

• Result: Cycle of guilt, shame, and worthlessness.

• Root Cause: The gap between reality and the unattainable “glorious self.”

1⃣ Relentless Demands on the Self

2⃣ Merciless Self-Accusation

3⃣ Self-Contempt

4⃣ Self-Frustration

5⃣ Self-Torment

6⃣ Self-Destructive Impulses

6 main ways self-hatred shows up

1⃣ Relentless Demands on the Self

“Tyranny of the shoulds” — never feeling good enough despite success.

2⃣ Merciless Self-Accusation

Harsh guilt/blame, feeling like a fraud or imposter.

3⃣ Self-Contempt

Belittling oneself; rejecting achievements as “luck.”

4⃣ Self-Frustration

Denying joy or success (“I don’t deserve it”).

5⃣ Self-Torment

Creating suffering intentionally or inviting mistreatment.

6⃣ Self-Destructive Impulses

Reckless, sabotaging behavior, or suicidal tendencies.

horney’s psychotherapy

• Root Problem: Neuroses stem from basic conflicts formed in childhood and reinforced by rigid neurotic trends.

• Goal:

  • Help patients grow toward self-realization.

  • Encourage them to relinquish their idealized self-image and accept the real self.

• Patient’s Resistance:

  • Neurotics believe their coping style (“love,” “freedom,” or “power”) is healthy, making change difficult.

  • They desire relief but unconsciously cling to behaviors that sustain neurosis.