Erich Fromm's Life and Humanistic Psychoanalysis
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Questions and Answers

What character orientation is characterized by a hatred for humanity and a focus on death and destruction?

  • Symbiotic Relationships
  • Necrophilia (correct)
  • Biophilia
  • Narcissism

According to Fromm, productive love is not essential for overcoming human loneliness.

False (B)

What is the term used for an extreme dependence on a mother or mother surrogate that distorts reasoning powers?

Incestuous Symbiosis

Malignant narcissism impedes the perception of __________, causing a devaluation of others' worth.

<p>reality</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the concepts with their definitions:

<p>Biophilia = Life-affirming orientation Narcissistic Personality = Devaluation of others Incestuous Symbiosis = Extreme dependence on a parental figure Necrophilia = Orientation towards death and destruction</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term refers to a person's relatively permanent way of relating to people and things?

<p>Character Orientation (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Masochism and Sadism are forms of destructiveness according to Fromm.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of automaton conformity as described in Fromm's theory?

<p>The loss of the self</p> Signup and view all the answers

Fromm believed that destructiveness often masquerades as ______, duty, conscience, or patriotism.

<p>love</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following escape mechanisms with their descriptions:

<p>Masochism = Seeking pain or suffering as a form of punishment Sadism = Inflicting pain or suffering on others Automaton Conformity = Adopting behaviors and beliefs of the surrounding culture Destructiveness = Elimination of others or the outside world to escape freedom</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of character orientation involves a passive approach to obtaining desired outcomes?

<p>Receptive (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Fromm, positive freedom can be achieved through escape mechanisms.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Fromm define personality?

<p>The totality of inherited and acquired psychic qualities characteristic of an individual.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary theme of Fromm's writings?

<p>Loneliness (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Fromm believes that knowing we will die leads to feelings of comfort and security.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Fromm suggest are two alternatives humans have in response to feelings of loneliness?

<p>Create a society based on love or escape into dependencies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Fromm, escape mechanisms are attempts to flee from __________.

<p>freedom</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the escape mechanism with its description:

<p>Authoritarianism = Submitting to external forces for control Destructiveness = Attempting to destroy the source of isolation Automaton Conformity = Blending in with the masses to avoid loneliness</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does authoritarianism provide according to Fromm?

<p>A form of domination (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Fromm views automaton conformity as a healthy resolution to loneliness.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the common belief shared by individuals who lean towards authoritarianism?

<p>Their life is determined by external forces.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Destructive Escape Mechanism

A way individuals escape from the feeling of freedom by eliminating others or the outside world.

Automaton Conformity

A type of personality where individuals lose their sense of self and adopt the personality type promoted by their culture.

Nonproductive Character Orientation

A way of relating to people and things that doesn't lead to true happiness or positive freedom.

Receptive Personality

Believing that they can only get what they want by passively waiting for others to provide it.

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Character Orientation

A person's ongoing way of connecting with people and things.

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Masochism/Sadism

Two forms of Destructive escape mechanisms, characterized by the desire for self-harm or to inflict harm on others respectively.

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Productive Personality

A character orientation that leads to positive freedom and happiness through genuine expression.

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Personality

The totality of inherited and acquired personal qualities creating uniqueness in an individual.

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Necrophilia (Fromm)

A character orientation focused on death, destruction, and decay. It represents a hatred of humanity and manifests in behaviors like racism, warmongering, and bullying.

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Malignant Narcissism

A personality trait where individuals excessively value themselves and devalue others, leading to a distorted perception of reality.

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Incestuous Symbiosis

An extreme dependency on a mother or mother figure, leading to anxiety, fear, and distorted reasoning when that relationship is threatened.

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Productive Love (Fromm)

A love characterized by care, responsibility, respect, and knowledge - the ultimate answer to human loneliness and a key to psychological health.

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Personality Disorders (Fromm)

A result of an inability to love and establish connection with others, leading to unhealthy personality traits and behaviors.

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What is Fromm's thesis on freedom?

Fromm argues that freedom, while a human condition, also creates a psychological problem: isolation and loneliness. As we gain freedom from nature, we become increasingly separated from others and face the existential reality of death.

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What's the ultimate expression of loneliness?

According to Fromm, the ultimate expression of loneliness is the knowledge of our own mortality. Being aware of death can lead to feelings of despair and incomprehensibility.

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Escape from freedom?

Fromm proposes that individuals escape from the burden of freedom through mechanisms that alleviate isolation but prevent authentic personality development. These mechanisms may include authoritarianism, destructiveness, and automaton conformity.

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Authoritarianism

A way to escape freedom by submitting to domination. Individuals may let others control them or seek to control others.

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Destructiveness

An escape mechanism where individuals eliminate others or parts of the outside world to avoid feeling isolated.

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Why are escape mechanisms not solutions?

These mechanisms simply mask the problem of loneliness instead of addressing it. They do not lead to optimal personality development or fulfillment.

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What are the two alternatives to escape?

Humans can either work together in love to create a fulfilling society, or escape the burden of freedom through submission and dependencies.

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Study Notes

Erich Fromm's Life and Work

  • Born in Frankfurt, Germany, to an orthodox Jewish family
  • Described his family life as tense, noting his parents' neuroses
  • Experienced a split existence between traditional Jewish and modern capitalist worlds
  • Influenced by Freud and Karl Marx, but sought to understand individual and societal laws
  • Became a socialist after World War I
  • Earned a PhD in sociology at the University of Heidelberg at age 22 or 25
  • Studied psychoanalysis but couldn't meet Freud directly
  • Married Frieda Reichmann in 1926, later divorced
  • Moved to the United States in 1934, established practice in New York City
  • Worked with, and renewed acquaintance with, Karen Horney
  • Joined Horney's Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis but later disagreed with her.

Humanistic Psychoanalysis

  • A personality theory emphasizing socioeconomic influences, history, economics and class structure
  • Assumes loneliness and isolation (basic anxiety) stem from humanity's separation from nature
  • Humans evolved increased brain development and self-awareness, leading to feelings of distinctness
  • Capitalism engendered anxiety, isolation, and feelings of powerlessness, but provided leisure time and freedom.
  • Two paths exist: escaping into dependence or self-realisation through work and love.

Existential Dichotomies

  • This refers to the basic, inevitable conflicts inherent in the human condition.
  • These include life and death, complete self-fulfilment versus limits of human life, and isolation versus connections
  • Awareness of these predicaments drives the need for meaning and purpose.

Existential Needs

  • Crucial for personal growth and development
  • Relates to a need for connection with others (relatedness)
  • Drives towards purpose and meaning (transcendence)
  • Grounded in one's sense of place (rootedness)
  • Recognizing individual worth and identity

Escape Mechanisms

  • Escape mechanisms allow people to move away from their freedoms, but don't actually create solutions
  • Three main escape mechanisms are authoritarianism, destructiveness and automaton conformity
  • These escape mechanisms allow people to avoid their responsibility and live out irrational goals
  • Fromm saw these as unsatisfactory

Character Orientations

  • Personality types categorized by their interpersonal relations
  • These types include: receptive, exploitative, hoarding, and marketing
  • The productive personality, characterized by love, work, and critical thinking, is one alternative

Personality Disorders

  • Some conditions prevent human connection with others and a sense of wholeness
  • Conditions like necrophillia, malignant narcissism, or incestuous symbiosis are examples
  • These prevent fulfilling Fromm's existential needs

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Erich Fromm's Humanistic Psychoanalysis PDF

Description

Explore the life and contributions of Erich Fromm, a notable figure in humanistic psychoanalysis. Delve into his background, influences, and the sociocultural theories he proposed in response to individual and societal issues. This quiz encompasses his unique blend of psychoanalytic and socialist perspectives.

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