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BriefAccountofKarenHorney
ByBernardJ.Paris

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Introduction
FemininePsychology
SecondPhaseofthought
Maturetheory
Influence
Bibliography

BornKarenDanielseninasuburbofHamburg,HorneystudiedmedicineattheUniversitiesofFreiburg,Gttingen,and
Berlin.ShemarriedOskarHorneyin1909,enteredanalysiswithKarlAbrahamin1910,andbecameafoundingmemberof
theBerlinPsychoanalyticInstitutein1920.Havingseparatedfromherhusbandin1926,sheemigratedtotheUnitedStates
in1932,whenFranzAlexanderinvitedhertobecomeassociatedirectorofthenewlyformedChicagoPsychoanalytic
Institute.ShemovedtoNewYorkin1934andbecameamemberoftheNewYorkPsychoanalyticInstitute.In1941,she
organizedtheAmericanInstituteforPsychoanalysisandwasdeanuntilherdeathin1952.ShewasfoundingeditorofThe
AmericanJournalofPsychoanalysis.

KarenHorney'sthoughtwentthroughthreephases:inthe1920sandearly1930s,shewroteaseriesofessaysinwhichshe
triedtomodifyorthodoxideasaboutfemininepsychologywhilestayingwithintheframeworkofFreudiantheory.InThe
NeuroticPersonalityofOurTime(NewYork,1937)andNewWaysinPsychoanalysis(NewYork,1939),shetriedto
redefinepsychoanalysisbyreplacingFreud'sbiologicalorientationwithanemphasisoncultureandinterpersonal
relationships.InOurInnerConflicts(NewYork,1945)andNeurosisandHumanGrowth(NewYork,1950),shedeveloped
hermaturetheoryinwhichindividualscopewiththeanxietyproducedbyfeelingunsafe,unloved,andunvaluedby
disowningtheirspontaneousfeelingsanddevelopingelaboratestrategiesofdefense.

FemininePsychology

Duringherlifetime,Horneyandherworkwerewellknown,butafterherdeath,herinfluencegraduallydeclined.Arevival
ofinterestbeganwiththepublicationofFemininePsychology(NewYork,1967),acollectionofheressaysfromthe1920s
and30s,manyofwhichwereoriginallywritteninGerman.DisagreeingwithFreudaboutpenisenvy,femalemasochism,
andfemininedevelopment,theseessayswerecontroversialwhentheyfirstappearedbutthenwerelargelyignoreduntilthey
werecollectedin1967.Theyhavebeenwidelyreadsince,andtherehasbeenagrowingrecognitionthatKarenHorneywas
thefirstgreatpsychoanalyticfeminist.

Inheressaysonfemininepsychology,Horneystrovetoshowthatfemaleshaveintrinsicbiologicalconstitutionsand
patternsofdevelopmentthataretobeunderstoodintheirowntermsandnotjustasproductsoftheirdifferencefrommales.
Shearguedthatpsychoanalysisregardswomenasdefectivemenbecauseitistheproductofamalegenius(Freud)anda
maledominatedculture.Themaleviewofthefemalehasbeenincorporatedintopsychoanalysisasascientificpictureof
woman'sessentialnature.Horneydevelopedtheconceptof"wombenvy,"contendingthatmaleenvyofpregnancy,
childbirth,andmotherhood,andofthebreastsandsuckling,givesrisetoanunconscioustendencytodevaluewomen.Men's
impulsetowardcreativeworkisanovercompensation,sheargued,fortheirsmallroleinprocreation.

SecondPhaseofHorney'sthought

InthesecondphaseofHorney'sthought,cultureanddisturbedhumanrelationshipsreplacedbiologyasthemostimportant
causesofneuroticdevelopment.AstheauthorofTheNeuroticPersonalityofOurTimeandNewWaysinPsychoanalysis,
HorneyisoftenthoughtofasaneoFreudianmemberof"theculturalschool,"agroupthatalsoincludesErichFromm,
HarryStackSullivan,ClaraThompson,andAbrahamKardiner.ThesystematiccritiqueofFreudinNewWaysin
PsychoanalysisarousedsomuchresentmentattheNewYorkPsychoanalyticInstitutethatHorneywasforcedtoresign.
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29/9/2016 BriefaccountofKarenHorneyIKHS

Horney'sfirsttwobooksproposedamodelforthestructureofneurosisinwhichadverseconditionsintheenvironmentasa
whole,andespeciallyinthefamily,createa"basicanxiety"againstwhichthechilddefendsitselfbydevelopingstrategiesof
defensethatareselfalienating,selfdefeating,andinconflictwitheachother.InastrikingdeparturefromFreud,Horney
advocatedstartingwiththecurrentconstellationofdefensesandinnerconflictsratherthanwithearlyexperience.Our
problemsaretheresultofpastexperiencestobesure,buttheseproduceacharacterstructurewithaninnerlogicofitsown
thatcanbeunderstoodwithoutreferencetoinfantileorigins.Horney'sfocusonthepresentratherthanthepasthasledsome
analyststocomplainthatherexplanationslackdepth,whileothersfeelthatitisthesourceofheroriginalityandpower.

Inhernextbook,SelfAnalysis(NewYork,1942),Horneypresentedherfullestaccountofhowthepsychoanalyticprocess
worksintermsofherstructuralparadigm.TheobjectoftherapyforHorneyistohelppeoplerelinquishtheirdefenses
whichalienatethemfromtheirtruelikesanddislikes,hopes,fears,anddesiressothattheycangetintouchwithwhatshe
calledthe"realself."SelfAnalysiscontainsHorney'sonlyextendedcasehistory,thatofapatientnamedClare,whichis
highlyautobiographical.TheaccountofClare'sproblemswithPeter,herlover,reflectthebreakdownofHorney's
relationshipwithErichFromm.TherearechaptersonthetherapeuticprocessinseveralofHorney'sotherbooks,andher
essaysonthetopicandthelecturesshedeliveredinthelastyearsofherlifearecollectedinTheTherapeuticProcess
(1999).

MatureTheory

Inhermaturetheory,developedinherlasttwobooks,Horneyretainedtheemphasisonthepresentandthebasicconception
ofthestructureofneurosisdevelopedinearlierworks,butshedescribedthedefensesandtherelationshipsbetweenthem
muchmoresystematically.AccordingtoHorney,peopledefendthemselvesagainstfeelingunsafe,unloved,andunvaluedby
developingbothinterpersonalandintrapsychicneuroticstrategies.Theinterpersonalstrategiesinvolvemovingtoward,
against,orawayfromotherpeopleandadoptingaselfeffacing,expansive,orresignedsolution.Eachofthesesolutions
entailsaconstellationofpersonalitytraits,behaviors,andbeliefs,andabargainwithfateinwhichobediencetothedictates
ofthatsolutionissupposedtoberewarded.Sincepeopletendtoemploymorethanoneofthesestrategies,theyarebesetby
innerconflicts.Inordertoavoidbeingtornapartorparalyzed,theymakethatstrategypredominantwhichmostaccords
withtheirculture,temperament,andcircumstancesbuttherepressedtendenciespersist,generatinginconsistenciesand
risingtothesurfaceifthepredominantsolutionfails.

Intheselfeffacingsolution,individualstrytogainsafety,love,andesteemthroughdependency,humility,andself
sacrificing"goodness."Theirbargainisthatiftheyarehelpful,submissivepeoplewhodonotseektheirowngainorglory,
theywillbewelltreatedbyfateandotherpeople.Therearethreeexpansivesolutions:thenarcissistic,theperfectionistic,
andthearrogantvindictive.Narcissistsarefullofselfadmiration,haveanunquestionedbeliefintheirowngreatness,and
oftendisplayunusualcharmandbuoyancy.Theirmagicbargainisthatiftheyholdontotheirexaggeratedclaimsfor
themselves,lifeisboundtogivethemwhattheywant.Perfectioniststakegreatprideintheirrectitudeandstrivefor
excellenceineverydetail.Theyhavealegalisticbargaininwhichcorrectnessofconductensuresfairtreatmentbyfateand
theirfellows.Arrogantvindictivepeoplehaveaneedtoretaliateforinjuriesreceivedinchildhoodandtoachievemastery
bymanipulatingothers.Theydonotcountonlifetogivethemanythingbutareconvincedthattheycanreachtheir
ambitiousgoalsiftheyremaintruetotheirvisionoftheworldasajungleanddonotallowthemselvestobeinfluencedby
theirsofterfeelingsorthetraditionalmorality.Resignedpeopleworshipfreedom,peace,andselfsufficiency.Theirbargain
isthatiftheyasknothingofothers,theywillnotbebotheredthatiftheytryfornothing,theywillnotfailandthatifthey
expectlittleoflife,theywillnotbedisappointed.

Theintrapsychicstrategiesofdefensearelinkedtotheinterpersonal.Tocompensateforfeelingsofweakness,inadequacy,
andlowselfesteem,peopledevelopanidealizedimageofthemselvesthattheyseektoactualizebyembarkingonasearch
forglory.Theidealizedimagegeneratesapridesystem,whichconsistsofneuroticpride,neuroticclaims,andtyrannical
shoulds.Peopletakeprideintheimaginaryattributesoftheiridealizedselves,theydemandthattheworldtreatthemin
accordancewiththeirgrandioseconceptionofthemselves,andtheydrivethemselvestoliveuptothedictatesoftheir
solution.Thepridesystemtendstointensifytheselfhateagainstwhichitissupposedtobeadefense,sinceanyfailureto
liveuptoone'sshouldsoroftheworldtohonorone'sclaimsleadstofeelingsofworthlessness.Thecontentoftheidealized
imageismoststronglydeterminedbythepredominantinterpersonalstrategy,butsincethesubordinatestrategiesarealsoat
work,theidealizedimageisfullofinnerdivisions.Asaresult,peopleareoftencaughtinwhatHorneycallsacrossfireof
conflictingshoulds.Sinceobeyingthedictatesofonesolutionmeansviolatingthoseofanother,theyareboundtohate
themselveswhatevertheydo.

AlthoughHorneyprovidesananalyticapproachthatcanbefoundnowhereelse,shedealswithmanyofthesameissuesas
otherpostFreudians.Her"basicanxiety"issimilartoErikErikson's"basicmistrust,"andhertheoryilluminatesmanyof
thestagesofdevelopmentEriksondescribes.Thesearchforidentityofteninvolvestheformationofanidealizedimage,and
thereisacrisislaterinlifewhenpeoplerealizethattheycannotactualizetheiridealizedimage.

Influence

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LikeHeinzKohutandhisfellows,HorneyisinterestedinproblemsoftheselfandlikeHarryGuntrip,W.R.D.Fairbairn,
D.W.Winnicott,JohnBowlby,andothermembersoftheBritishIndependentSchool,sheseesneurosisasaproductof
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disturbedobjectrelations,especiallyinchildhood.Shediffersfromselfpsychologistsinseeingnarcissismasreactiverather
18oct0329mar16 2011 2012

thanprimaryandfromobjectrelationstheoristsinherfocusonpresentstructureratherthaninfantileorigins.Horney's"real
self"bearssomeresemblancetoKohut's"nuclearself"andevenmoretoWinnicott's"trueself."AliceMiller'sdiscussionof
thelossofandsearchforthetrueselfinchildhoodoftensoundslikeKarenHorney,asdoesR.D.Laing'saccountof
ontologicalinsecurity(whichiscomparabletobasicanxiety)andthedevelopmentofafalseselfsysteminresponsetoit.

Horney'smaturetheoryhashelpedtoinspiretheinterpersonalschoolofpsychoanalysis,ithasprovidedamodelfor
therapiesthatfocusonthecurrentsituation,andithasinfluencedsomeofthedescriptionsofpersonalitydisordersinthe
DiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders(DSMIV)(Washington,D.C.,1994).Ithasmadeanimportant
contributiontothestudyofliterature,biography,gender,andculture.Becauseofheremphasisonselfrealizationasthegoal
oflifeandthesourceofhealthyvalues,HorneywasrecognizedbyAbrahamMaslowasoneofthefoundersofhumanistic
psychology.Hertheoryhasmostincommon,perhaps,withtheworkofErichFromm,ErnestSchachtel,CarlRogers,and
Maslow.ManyofHorney'sideashavemadetheirway,oftenunacknowledged,intothearrayofconceptsandtechniquesthat
arecurrentlyemployedinclinicalpractice.

Bibliography

Berger,M.,guesteditor.(1991).TheAmericanJournalofPsychoanalysis,51.

ThisspecialissuecommemoratingthefiftiethanniversaryofKaren'sHorney'sfoundingofthejournal,theAmerican
InstituteforPsychoanalysis,andtheAssociationfortheAdvancementofPsychoanalysis,containsaricharrayofarticles
andreminiscences.

Horney,K.(1937).Theneuroticpersonalityofourtime.NewYork:Norton.

Arguesfortheinfluenceofcultureonpersonalityanddevelopsanewparadigmforthestructureofneurosis.

.(1939).Newwaysinpsychoanalysis.NewYork:Norton.

SystematiccritiqueofFreud'stheory,especiallyitsemphasisonbiologicalfactorsandinfantileorigins.Stresses
environmentalfactors,currentcharacterstructure,andselfrealizationastheobjectoftherapy.

.(1942).Selfanalysis.NewYork:Norton.

Describesthepossibilities,techniques,anddifficultiesofbothdyadicandselfanalysis.ContainsHorney'smostfully
developedcasehistory,thatofClare,whichishighlyautobiographical.

.(1945).Ourinnerconflicts:aconstructivetheoryofneurosis.NewYork:Norton.

Focusesontheinterpersonalstrategiesofcompliance(movingtoward),aggression(movingagainst),anddetachment
(movingawayfrom)andtheconflictsbetweenthesestrategies(thebasicconflict).AgoodplacetostartreadingHorney.

.(1950).Neurosisandhumangrowth:thestruggletowardselfrealization.NewYork:Norton.

Focusesontheintrapsychicstrategiesofselfidealization,thesearchforglory,neuroticpride,neuroticclaims,and
tyrannicalshoulds,allofwhichsimultaneouslydefendagainstandincreaseselfhate.Integratestheinterpersonalstrategies
intoacompletesystem,butinanoccasionallyconfusingmanner.Horney'smostcomplexandimportantbook.Writtenfor
fellowanalystsbutlucidandaccessibletolaypersons.

.(1967).Femininepsychology,editedbyH.Kelman.NewYork:Norton.

Essayspublishedbetween1923and1935,manyoriginallyinGerman,developingHorney'sdisagreementswiththe
prevailingphallocentricviewoffemininepsychologyandadvancingherownversionofwomen'sproblemsandtherelations
betweenthesexes.Intheiremphasisontheculturalconstructionofgender,theseessaysweredecadesaheadoftheirtime.

.(1999).TheTherapeuticProcess:EssaysandLectures,editedbyB.J.Paris.NewHaven,Ct.:YaleUniversityPress

CollectsHorney'sessaysonclinicalissuesandlecturesfromthecoursesshegaveonanalytictechniquetowardtheendof
herlife.ThelecturesrevealadifferentsideofHorneyandareparticularlyrelevanttocurrentissues.Theeditor's
introductionsprovideanoverviewofallofHorney'steachingsabouttheprocessofpsychotherapy.

.(2000).TheUnknownKarenHorney,editedbyB.J.Paris.NewHaven,Ct.:YaleUniversityPress.

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ThisassemblesHorney'spreviouslyuncollectedessaysongender,culture,andpsychoanalysisandmakes18previously
unpublisheditemsavailableforthefirsttime.ItalsoprovidesEnglishversionsoffourhithertountranslatedessays.
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SupplementstheessaysinFemininePsychology.
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Paris,B.(1994).KarenHorney:apsychoanalyst'ssearchforselfunderstanding.NewHaven,CT.:YaleUniversityPress.

CombinesbiographywithafullaccountofHorney'stheories.Arguesthattheevolutionofherideasisaproductofherlife
longefforttosolveherproblemsbyunderstandingherself.MoreacharacterportraitofHorneythanaconventional
biography.

Quinn,S.(1987).Amindofherown:thelifeofKarenHorney.NewYork:SummitBooks.

ThebestaccountofHorney'ssocialandculturalcontextandtheeventsofherlife.Lessgoodonherinnerlifeandherideas,
especiallyhermaturetheory.

Westkott,M.(1986).ThefeministlegacyofKarenHorney.NewHaven,CT:YaleUniversityPress.

ThemostsustainedefforttoshowhowHorney'sthoughtilluminatesfeministissues.ItsargumentthatHorney'smature
theoryisnotgenderneutralbutisbasedonfemininepsychologyiscontroversial.

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