KAREN HORNEY PERSONALITY THEORY

PRESENTED BY. SAJJAD ULLAH KHAN .UNIVERSITY OF SWAT.

KAREN HORNEYBorn. In 1885 at Blankenese, Holstein, Prussia, German empire, Germany.Died. 4 Dec 1952 at New York City, New York, USA.Nationality. German Field. Psychoanalyst.Spouse. Oscar Horney.Children. 3 children

EARLY LIFE Karen Horney was born on 16 Sept

1885 in Blankenese, Germany. Her father, Berndt Wackels Danielson (1836-1910) was a ship’s captain and having traditional thinking towards religion.

Her mother Clotide Neevan Ronzelen (1853-1911) known as ‘Sonni’ was much different being more open minded than Berndt.

According to Horney her father was ‘ a crucial disciplinary figure’ holding his elder son in higher regard then herself. Despite this Karen always felt deprived of her father’s affection and instead became attached to her mother.

EDUCATION Against her parents wishes Horney entered

medical school in 1906, at University of Freiburg.

By 1908, Horney had transferred to the University of Gottingen and would transfer once more to University of Berlin before her graduation in 1913. Attending several universities was common at the time to gain a basic medical education.

It was during her time as a medical student that she met Oskar Horney whom she married by 1909.

Her first daughter Brigitte Horney became one of the most famous actress in Germany.

CAREER AND WORKS In 1920 Horney took up a position within the

institute for psychoanalysis in Berlin where she lectured on psychoanalysis for several years.

It was also in 1923 that Karen Horney brother died in pulmonary infection that event contributed to a worsening of Karen’s mental health.

Horney quickly set about establishing herself. Her first career posting in the united states was as the associate Director of the Chicago Institute for psychoanalysis.

Horney developed and advanced her composite theories regarding neurosis and personality. In 1937 she published the book “The Neurotic Personality of Our Time”.

She taught at the New York Medical College and practicing as a psychiatrist until her death in 1952.

THEORY OF NEUROSIS Horney looked at neurosis in a

different light from other psychoanalysts of the time.

From her experiences as psychiatrist, Horney named ten patterns of neurotic needs. These ten needs are based upon things which she thought all humans require to succeed in life.

TEN NEUROTIC NEEDS Moving toward people.1. The need for affection and

approval, pleasing others and being liked by them.

2. The need for a partner one whom they can love and will solve all problems.

Moving Against People.3. The need for power, the ability to bend wills and achieve control over others.4. The need to exploit others, to get the better of them. 5. The need for social recognition, prestige and limelight.

6. The need for personal admiration, for both inner and outer qualities to be valued.7. The need for personal achievement; thought virtually all persons wish to make achievement.

Moving Away From People.8. The need for self-sufficiency and independence, while most desires some autonomy, the neurotic may simply wish to discard other individual entirely.9. The need for perfection; while many are driven to perfect their lives in the form of well being the neurotic may display a fear of being slightly flawed.

10. The need to restrict life practices to within narrow borders, to live as inconspicuous a life as possible.

FEMININE PSYCHOLOGY As one of the first female psychiatrist, she was

the first known woman to present a paper regarding feminine psychiatry. The fourteen papers she wrote between 1922 and 1937 were amalgamated into a single volume titled “Feminine Psychology”.

In her essay entitled “ The Problem of Feminine Masochism” Horney felt she proved that cultures and societies world wide encouraged women to be dependent on men for their love, prestige, wealth, care and protection.

Horney believed that both men and women have ingenious and productive. Women are able to satisfy this need normally and internally – to do this they become pregnant and give birth. Men please this need only through external ways.

KAREN HORNEY WORKS Neurotic and Human Growth. Norton,

New York 1950. Are you Considering:- Psychoanalysis.

Norton 1945. Our Inner Conflicts. Norton, 1945. Self Analysis, Norton 1942. New Ways in Psychoanalysis. Norton

1939.

The Neurotic Personality of Our Time, Norton, 1937.

Feminine Psychology , Norton. 1922-1937.

The Collected Works of Karen Horney, Norton 1950.