Psychoanalytic Social Psychology

Psychoanalytic Social Psychology Karen Horney and Erich Fromm Goals for Chapter Five      Describe Horney’s concept of basic anxiety and explain how it differs from Freud’s concept of anxiety. Explain how ten neurotic needs or trends can be summarized in terms of three ways of relating to others and three basic orientations toward life. Distinguish between the real self and the idealized self and explain what is meant by the tyranny of the should. Explain the relationship of the real self and the idealized self in normal, neurotic and alienated individuals. Compare and contrast Freud’s and Horney’s views of women Chapter Goals Continued      Describe assessment and research in Horney’s theory. Identify what Fromm saw as our basic human condition and three common mechanisms of escape from it. Explain how society shapes the fulfillment of our basic needs and leads to the development of character orientations. Discuss assessment and research in Fromm’s theory. Evaluate Horney’s and Fromm’s theories in terms of their function as philosophy science, and art. Born Karen Danielson 1885 near Hamburg, Germany  Father, a sea captain, Norweigian decent – – Karen admired her father, but frightened of gazes Critical of her intelligence, interests, and appearance Young, dynamic, freethinker who influenced Karen Karen felt mother favored her older brother  Mother Dutch decent – –  Upper middle class family – – – – economically and socially secure Adolescence: Influenced by a doctor to become a physician. Mother encouraged her/father discouraged her Kept a dairy  independence and originality  Parents separated – Mother moves to Freiburg so Karen could pursue her studied at the university  Horney’s writings emphasized the role a stressful environment plays in nurturing basic anxiety  Acknowledges feelings from stressful environment, lack of love and quarrelsome parents and works to overcome feelings rejection – depression – worthlessness – hostility Medical degree from University of Berlin Associated with Berlin Psychoanalytic Institute – Analyzed by Karl Abraham and Hans Sachs (disciples of Freud) –    Married Oscar Horney – – Berlin lawyer Three daughters   Divorced Oscar in 1937 Insights into problems of women and feminine psychology – Clients not troubled with sexual problems but rather with keeping a job and paying the bills (economic, educational, and social pressures) lead to neurosis.    In 1932 came to the United States Assumed the position of associate director of the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute Moved to New York City in 1934 – – taught at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute. Met Erich Fromm  In 1941 Horney founded the Advancement of Psychoanalysis and the American Institute of Psychoanalysis – Dean of the Institute until her death in 1952 Personality Concepts Karen Horney Basic Anxiety  Anxiety is the basic human condition with which we have to deal – Unlike Freud, Horney did not see anxiety as an inevitable part of the human condition  Anxiety is created by social forces rather than by human predicament itself.  As humans, our essential challenge is to be able to relate effectively to other people. Basic Anxiety Continued  Basic Anxiety – – – all-pervading feeling of being lonely and helpless in a hostile world results from feelings of insecurity in relations environment is dreaded because it is seen as unrealistic, dangerous, unappreciative, and unfair.  Children feel environment is a threat to their development and innermost wishes.  Children are dependent upon parents or caregivers to satisfy needs Basic Evil  All of the negative factors in the environment that can provoke insecurity in a child – – – – – – – – – – domination isolation overprotection hostility indifference inconsistent behavior disparagement parental discord lack of respect and guidance lack of encouragement and warmth Children Continued     Children's fears may be unrealistic but they are real to them. Children’s ability to use energies and develop selfesteem and reliance is thwarted in a hostile environment. Children may be helpless due to biological dependency and parents failure to foster selfassertive behavior. Essential for children to feel safe and secure. Horney’s Ten Neurotic Needs or Trends Neurotic Need 1. Exaggerated Need for affection and approval 2. Need for a dominant partner 3. Exaggerated need for power 4. Need to exploit others 5. Exaggerated need for social recognition or prestige 6. Exaggerated need for personal admiration 7. Exaggerated ambition for personal achievement 8. Need to restrict one's life within narrow boundaries 9. Exaggerated need for self-sufficiency and independence 10. Need for perfection and unssailability Relate to Others Move toward (compliance) accepting one's helplessness and becoming compliant Move against (hostility): rebelling and resisting others to protect one's self from a threatening environment. Orientation Toward Life Self-effacing solution: an appeal to be loved Self-expansive solution: strive for mastery Moving away (detachment): isolating one's self to avoid involvement with others. Resignation solution: a desire to be free of others What makes a need or trend neurotic?  The need or trend is: – – – – too intense too unrealistic too indiscriminate too anxiety laden These needs or trends lead to three types of coping strategies or primary modes of relating to other people: Moving toward (compliance)  Moving against (hostility)  Moving away (detachment)  These types of behaviors lead to three basic interpersonal orientations toward life  Self-effacing solution – appeal to be loved attempt at mastery   Self-expansive solution – Resignation solution – a desire to be free of others  Normal and mature individuals – – resolve conflicts by integrating and balancing the three orientations are able to express each mode at the appropriate time express one mode at the expense of other aspects of their personality. unconsciously repress tendencies to react according to the other orientations  Repressed  Neurotics – – seek expression and increase anxiety The Self  Real Self – – Represents what we are Those things that are true about us Represents what we think we should be Used as a model to assist us in developing our potential and achieving self-actualization.  Idealized self – – Normal Personality  Idealized and Real Self Coincide Idealized Self Real Self Neurotic Self  Neurotic Real Self Idealized Self Developing the Self A person is able to recognize and develop only those aspects of the real self that coincide with the idealized self.  In an extreme case an individual may abandon the real self for the sake of an idealized glorified self and is referred to as alienation (or the devil’s pact)  – In alienation a person identifies with the ideal self and loses the true source of strength since our only source of strength comes from our real self The Tyranny of The Should  Individuals create false needs – Example: In order to be good I must never feel jealous so I do not permit feelings of jealousy.  Therefore, the part of the real self that does experience feelings of jealousy is denied.  The individual becomes estranged from a part of the self The Tyranny of the Should Can you name some significant “shoulds” that you have devised to safeguard your image of self? Can you identify the origin of your “shoulds,” for example, parents, culture? Can you think of different types of “shoulds” that diverse cultures foster? What might happen if you were to give up one of the “shoulds” that is giving you problems? Feminine Psychology  Clinical observations contradict Freud’s theory of the libido – Freud:  Sexual activities and attitudes instinctual, inevitable processes unaffected by culture or society  Penis envy was largely responsible for a woman’s development (women view self as castrated males)  Horney: – – – Women and men have fantasies in order to cope with Oedipal situation Many men and boys express jealousy over women’s ability to bear and nurse children (womb envy) Womb envy and penis envy are complements  Reflects mutual attraction and envy the sexes have for each other. – Essence of sexual life lies in biological creative powers  Women have greater role -- bear and nurse child Men Recognize Female Superiority  Womb envy has taken subtle and indirect forms: – – – – – – rituals of taboo, isolation, cleansing that are associated with menstruation and childbirth the need to disparage women accuse women of witchcraft belittle women’s achievements deny women equal rights equate “feminine” with passiveness Women and Men Have Creative Impulse  Women satisfy need naturally and internally and externally: – become pregnant and give birth Accomplishments in the external world Compensate for their inability to bear children  Men satisfy their need only externally – – “flight from womanhood”  Observed in society – – – – Many women inhibited their femininity and became frigid. These women wished they were men Due to the experience of real social and cultural disadvantages that women have had to deal with Sexual unresponsiveness is not the normal attitude of women but results from cultural factors The Essence of Being A Woman... Lies in Motherhood Feminine Psychology Continued 1920s Horney observed that it was men who had written human history and men who shaped the psychoanalytic movement.  Men should “let women speak, and hear their interpretations, even “biases”  First psychoanalyst who sought to define the feminine self in terms of the woman’s own self and not in terms of her relationship with a man (Miccolis, 1996).  Assessment and Research in Horney’s Theory  Assessment – – free association and dream analysis self-analysis can assist normal personality development  understand self  reach freedom from inner bondage that hinder developing one’s best potentialities. – All of us engages in self-analysis when we try to account for the motives behind our behaviors. Systematic self-analysis  Systematic self-analysis differs from occasional self-analysis in degree rather than kind – employs tool of free association followed by reflection on what one has thought and an analysis of the resistance that aims to maintain the status quo. Four prerequisites for good decision-making  We need to be cognizant of our real feelings and wishes  We need to have created our own set of values (not merely accepted those of our parents or society);  We have to make a deliberate choice between two opposite possibilities;  We have to take responsibility for the decision that we make Other Research Findings...      Horney’s theory is operationally defined and compatible with requirements of psychological measurement Parallels between “movement against others” and the idealized self and research on coronary-prone Type Z behavior; Other research fails to support some of Freud’s ideas concerning women Research on parenting styles underscores Horney’s conviction that parenting patterns have a strong impact on children and that children respond positively to parents who are both affectionate and firm. Horney (1937) America hypercompetitiveness (compete and win in order to keep or heighten beliefs that one is worthy) Horney’s Theory ... Philosophy Science, and Art  Horney was an astute observer and talented clinician (Scientific) – – – tested, revised and discarded her theories in light of new observation changes can be observed in therapy if not in a rigorous laboratory experiment clearly engaged in scientific activity and believed her method and therapy must be open to scientific investigation and research.  Her theory does reflect deep philosophical commitments – – – belief in the process of growth and forward movement optimistic view of human nature interest in Zen Buddhist writings and practices theory adopted by many clinicians, especially in group therapy.  Contributes to the art of psychotherapy –  Her work inspired the interpersonal school of psychoanalysis Erich Fromm (1900 - 1980) Biographical Background Fromm       Born in Frankfurt, Germany, 1900 Only child Orthodox Jew Interest in religion and began studying Talmud at age 13 Admired German mystic “Meister” Eckhart Interest in religion left a distinct mark on his personality and work Biographical Data continued   Described his family life/parents: – – – tense, neurotic mother “depressive-prone” father “moody” and “overanxious” Severed from orthodox paychoanalysis and criticized by Freud unwilling to acknowledge the importance of social and economic forces in shaping personality. Came to the U.S. in 1933 (Depression) – One of the founders of WilliamAlanson White Institue for Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis, and Psychology in NY – Taught there and at Yale and the New School for Social Research – Professor (1949) at National University in Mexico –  Overwhelmed by the irrationality of human behavior as it showed itself in the brutalities of WWI –  14 yrs old when war broke out  Studied sociology and psychology at University of Heidelberg – Ph.D. 1922  Trained in analysis in Munich and at the Institute of Berlin. – No formal medical training (“lay analyst”)  Retired 1965