Psychoanalyc Social Theory

UTS

Psychoanalyc Social Theory

Developed by Karen Horney

• React on against Sigmund Freud’s biologically driven psychoanalysis

• Emphasizes:

o Social and cultural influences

o Childhood experiences o Interpersonal relaonships

• Focuses more on culture and social conditions than instinctual drives.

1. Basic Hostility

• Occurs when a child feels:

o Rejected

o Neglected

o Overprotected

o Dominated

o Indifferent parenting

• The child develops anger toward parents.

2. Basic Anxiety (Core Concept)

• The child represses hos lity (because they depend on parents).

• This results in basic anxiety: A feeling of being isolated and helpless in a poten ally hos le world.

Basic anxiety becomes the founda on of neurosis.

Neurotic Needs/Neurotic trends

Horney identified 10 neurotic needs as ways people cope with basic anxiety.

A. Moving Toward People (Compliance)

• Need for affection and approval

• Need for a powerful partner

• Need to restrict life within narrow borders

B. Moving Against People (Aggression)

• Need for power

• Need to exploit others Need for prestige

• Need for admira on Need for achievement

C. Moving Away from People (Detachment)

• Need for self-sufficiency and independence

• Need for perfection and unassailability

• Note:

• Healthy individuals can use all three appropriately.

• Neurotic individuals rigidly rely on one style.

V. The Idealized Self-Image

• Neurotic individuals create an idealized self-image to escape feelings of worthlessness.

• Components:

• Unrealistic self-view

• “Tyranny of the Shoulds” (rigid internal demands)

• Neurotic pride

VI. Self-Hatred

When people fail to live up to their idealized image, they develop:

• Self-contempt

• Self-hate

• Self-punishment

VII. Vindictive Triumph

Vindictive triumph is a neurotic need connected to aggression. It involves: \

• Gaining satisfaction by defea ng or humilia ng others

• Proving superiority

• Seeking revenge as a way to overcome feelings of inadequacy

The person believes: “If I win and others lose; I am safe and superior.”

This reinforces the moving against people strategy.

VIII. Feminine Psychology

Horney criticized Freud’s idea of penis envy.

She proposed:

• Womb envy (men may envy women’s reproduc ve capacity)

• Cultural factors, not biology, explain gender differences

• Social inequality creates feelings of inferiority in women