Aldo Chipana

2A Psychology 1010
Karen Horney
Since she could never be beautiful, she could at least study and become extremely smart
in order to gain status in a man-ruling world. Karen Horney was a Neo-Freudian psychologist
best known for going against the beliefs and standpoints of Sigmund Freud that human
psychology between man and woman is different biologically. She argued stating that these
differences were cultural and brought on by society. Along with this she is also noted for going
against many of Freuds theories of psychosis and coming up with her own theories of human
psychosis. She also states that human psychosis is not only caused by sex or aggression as Freud
may argue. Over her career, she developed her theory of Neurosis with Ten Neurotic needs that
fall into three characteristics of people. The three categories of her neurotic needs are moving
towards people, moving against people, and finally, moving away from people. Moving towards
people include the first two needs which are the neurotic needs for affection and a powerful
partner. Following are the needs which are moving against people. They are the neurotic need
to restrict one's life within narrow boundaries, need for power, need to exploit others, need for
social recognition or prestige, need for personal admiration. Finally moving away from people
include the neurotic need for ambition and personal achievement, need for self-sufficiency, and
need for perfection and unassailability. She views psychoanalysis as seeking self-realization and
help from analyst to cope with life. Inner conflicts with humans are seen as the abilities to be a
decent person and that people have the ability to change if they so desire. She also wrote essays,
about 14 of them, and one of these become the first volume of Feminine Psychosis. This being an
extremely big deal at the time since men were seen as the powerful sex and that women ought to
be submissive to the will of men and their thoughts. Her theories also have a lot to do with the
development of children growing up. Childhood is where the vast majority of life and neurotic

Aldo Chipana
2A Psychology 1010
problems stem from. Although most of Horneys writings are connected with the neurotic
personality, it can also be applied to the normal personality as well.

Wow #1:

Karen Horney is known for going against Sigmund Freud with what he called penis

envy or that women were simply jealous of men because they had all the power and authority.
From the perspective of Horney, she stated that Freud was wrong and that men were simply
overcompensating for the fact that women could solely experience the bliss of creating life.
Similarly she called this womb theory.

Wow # 2: Karen Horney has written many books including the Feminine Psychology
pioneering the subjects of feminine psychiatry. She points out that at the time women are
encouraged by society to be dependent on men and what they supply. She goes on to continue
the issues women facing by stating that at the time women are also only seen as high in status on
the amount of children they bares. Basically women are seen as baby-making machines.
However, men and women are both strive to be ingenious and productive.

Wow #3: Her theory of neurosis is still what is commonly accepted today by stating that neurosis
isnt given at birth but rather develops during the time of the upbringing of a child.

Wow #4: The theory of self. This theory includes that humans are able to realize their own
potential and achieve greatness within reasonable limitations. This theory she and Abraham
Maslow agreed upon and stated that self-actualization is the healthy during life contrary to the
neurotic's clinging to a set of key needs.

Aldo Chipana
2A Psychology 1010

Wow #5: Because of all the contributions that Karen Horney made to society in psychology,
New York opened the Karen Horney Clinic in 1955 providing low cost healthcare for those in
need. Along with the Clinic she set up the American Institute of Psychoanalysis in Manhattan in
1914.
I have seen how the ten neurotic needs have been observed in my life because I tend to
see people as three different ways as well. The people that are always seeking attention and need
constant companionship. Thats why some of them are always dating someone. Then there are
the aggressive people who always seem to find a way to put people down in order to feel
superior over them. Then lastly, those that are independent and are interacting with others as
least as possible. The fact that Horney talks about subjects like Feminine Psychiatry could be
partially responsible for sparking more Feminist movements. Something I see a lot of today.

References:
Wikipedia
Karen Horney, M.D. The American Journal of Psychiatry. - Gilman S. (2001)
Psychiatric Times: Who was Karen Horney? - Ingram D. (2012)
The American Journal of Psychoanalysis: Karen Horneys Vision of the Self - Paris B. (1999)