Psychoanalytic Social Theory PDF

PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES: PSYCHOANALYTIC SOCIAL THEORY Prepared by: Rezy Anne B. Arales, RPm  pronounced as “Horn- eye” Karen Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory BRIEF BIOGRAPHY parallels with life of Klein both born during 1880s; Horney was born on September 16, 1...

PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORIES: PSYCHOANALYTIC SOCIAL THEORY Prepared by: Rezy Anne B. Arales, RPm  pronounced as “Horn- eye” Karen Horney: Psychoanalytic Social Theory BRIEF BIOGRAPHY parallels with life of Klein both born during 1880s; Horney was born on September 16, 1885, in Blankenese, Germany and passed away on December 4, 1952 in New York City both felt unwanted and unloved both wanted to become a physician, but only Horney fulfilled the ambition BRIEF BIOGRAPHY growing up, she witnessed her parents’ troubled marriage, which had an impact on her later theories about the role of childhood experiences in personality development envied her brother, Berndt, that she even confided to her diary “It was always my pride that in school I was better than Berndt, that there were more amusing stories about me than about him” & “I know that as a child I wanted for a long time to be a boy, that I envied Berndt because he could stand near a tree and pee” BRIEF BIOGRAPHY her father was a strict authoritarian who used Bible verse to promote his views on the superiority of men older brother, Berndt, was awarded opportunities, including college and an eventual law degree that her father believed unnecessary for a female during her childhood years, she doubted that her parents wanted her and believed they loved Berndt more than they loved her BRIEF BIOGRAPHY in 1909, married to Oskar Horney a lawyer; they had 3 daughters; and in 1932 Karen and Oscar divorced, and she decided to move to the United Stages with her daughters in her quest of the right man, she had several affairs—during and after her marriage when she did not have a lover, or a relationship was breaking down, she felt lost, lonely, desperate, and sometimes suicidal when she was involved in a morbidly dependent relationship, she hated herself for her inability to break free she attributed her desperate need for a man to her unhappy childhood BRIEF BIOGRAPHY in 1932 she renewed acquaintances with Erich Fromm (whom she had known in Berlin) and his wife, Frieda Fromm Reichman in Chicago during the next 10 years, Horney and Fromm were close friends, influencing each other, and eventually became lovers 1941, formed a rival organization of Zodiac Group—the Association for the Advancement of Psychonalysis (AAP) BRIEF BIOGRAPHY 1943, Fromm (whose intimate relationship with Horney had recently ended) and several others resigned from AAP despite the rift between her, Fromm, and several members the association continued but under a new name—the Karen Horney Psychoanalytic Institute HORNEY’S PSYCHOANALYSIS she undergo psychoanalysis but only for a short period of time she turned to self-analysis, which she constinued for the rest of her life during her self-analysis, she was strongly influenced by Adler’s notion of compensation for inferiority feelings she was particularly sensitive to Adler’s remark that physical unattractiveness was a cause of inferiority feelings HORNEY’S PSYCHOANALYSIS concluded that she “needed to feel superior because of her lack of beauty and sense of inferiority as a woman, which led her to masculine protest” by excelling in a male-dominated domain, such as medicine during her time believed that by studying medicine, and by promiscuous sexual behavior, she was acting like a man OVERVIEW OF HORNEY’S THEORY social and cultural conditions, especially childhood experiences, are largely responsible for shaping personality safety and satisfaction - similar to Freud’s notion of sex and aggression people who do not have their needs for love and affection satisfied during childhood develop basic hostility toward their parents as a result, suffer from basic anxiety 3 fundamental styles of relating to others: (1) moving against people (2) moving toward people (3) moving away from people OVERVIEW OF HORNEY’S THEORY normal individuals may use one of these modes but neurotics use only one compulsively compulsive behavior generates basic intrapsychic conflict that may take the form of either an idealized self-image or self-hatred idealized self-image expressed as (1) neurotic search for glory , (2) neurotic claims , (3) neurotic pride self-hatred expressed as either self-contempt or alienation from self INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOANALYTIC SOCIAL THEORY culture, especially childhood experiences plays an important role in shaping human personality childhood is the age from which the vast majority of problems arise (variety of traumatic events such as sexual abuse, beatings, open rejection, or pervasive neglect) agreed with Freud that early childhood traumas are important but emphasized social rather than biological forces affect personality development INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOANALYTIC SOCIAL THEORY hypothesized that difficult childhood is primarily responsible for neurotic needs, needs become powerful because they are the child’s only means of gaining feelings of safety no single early experience is responsible for later personality, the sum total of childhood experiences brings about a certain character structure or starts its development the totality of early relationships molds personality development HORNEY AND FREUD COMPARED Influence of social and cultural factors Sexuality and gender Horney she believed that external influences Horney challenged Freud’s concept of (e.g., societal norms and cultural “penis envy,” which he believed was a expectations) played a fundamental role central aspect of female psychosexual in shaping an individual’s personality development argued that societal pressure could lead argued that this idea reflected a male bias to neuroses and that women’s psychological development was shaped more by societal factors such as desire for independence and equal status with men Freud focused primarily on internal and Freud’s Male and Female Oedipus unconscious, intrapsychic conflicts complexes emphasized the importance of attributed personality development to sexual development and the role of innate drives (e.g., libido and sexuality in personality development aggressive instincts) and the resolution he believed that these sexual conflicts of internal conflicts through were universal and has a significant psychosexual stages impact on an individual’s psychological development HORNEY AND FREUD COMPARED Role of childhood experiences Nature of neuroses Horne stressed the importance of childhood introduced the concept of neurotic needs y experiences, particularly in the and trends, focusing on how individuals formation of basic hostility and basic develop maladaptive strategies to cope anxiety with basic anxiety traumatic and nurturing experiences she classified neurotic individuals into in childhood (e.g., inconsistent categories based on their interpersonal parenting) could lead to the behaviors (moving toward people, development of neurotic tendencies against people, and away from people) Freud also recognized the significance of Freud’s focus on neuroses primarily childhood experiences, paticularly in revolved around the repression of the resolution of psychosexual sexual and aggression instincts conflicts during the oral, anal, and his approach involved the exploration of phallic stages, however these unconscious conflicts and the role of conflicts were primarily viewed as defense mechanisms internal and intrapsychic rather than shaped by external forces THE IMPACT OF CULTURE Cultural influence on cultural normals and expectations can norms and expectations exert immense pressure on individuals, which can affect their psychological development societal norms often dictate what is considered normal, acceptable, and even desirable behavior include gender roles, career expectations, and even personal appearance standards as individuals strive to meet these cultural standards, they may develop feelings of inadequacy or anxiety when they cannot conform to them THE IMPACT OF CULTURE Conflict between personal a central theme to Horney’s work is the identity and societal tension between one’s personal identity expectations and expectations imposed by culture she argued that this internal conflict is a major source of psychological distress and neuroses ex: a person who feels compelled to conform to traditional gender roles, even if doesn’t align with their authentic self, can experience anxiety and insecurity tension can lead to emotional distress and in some cases, the development of neurotic tendencies THE IMPACT OF CULTURE Pressure to conform and the pressure to conform to cultural norms its consequences and standards can be overwhelming when individuals find it challenging to meet cultural expectations, they may adopt neurotic behaviors as a way to cope with this pressure may develop compulsive drives to please others, engage in perfectionism, or establish unrealistic neurotic needs to gain recognition and validation THE IMPACT OF CULTURE Cultural variations cultural influences vary significantly across different societies and even within the same society for instance, an individual from a collectivist culture may have different neurotic trends and coping strategies compared to someone from an individualistic culture THE IMPACT OF CULTURE The Feminine Psychology Horney argued that the societal perspective expectations placed on women, particularly in her time, often led to feelings of inferiority and dependency women were frequently pressure to conform to traditional gender roles, which could create a sense of inadequacy and foster neurotic tendencies she believed that the problems women faced were largely shaped by cultural norms and societal pressures, rather than inherent deficiences Basic Hostility and Basic Anxiety  a higher-level need for security and freedom from fear if parents do not satisfy the child’s needs for safety and satisfaction, child develops feelings of basic hostility toward the parents however, children seldom overtly express this hostility as rage; instead they repress their hostility toward their parents and have no awareness of it repressed hostility leads to profound feelings of insecurity and a vague sense of apprehension which then called as basic anxiety defined as “a feeling of being isolated and helpless in a world conceived as potentially hostile” simplified as “a feeling of being small, insignificant, helpless, endangered, in a world that is out to abuse, cheat, attack, humiiate, betray, envy’ BASIC HOSTILITY refers to the innate feelings of anger, resentment, and frustration that children may develop in response to mistreatment, neglect, or a lack of love from their caregivers during their early years ex: when a child feels mistreated, unfairly disciplined, or unloved by their primary caregivers, they naturally react with a sense of hostility which is a form of emotional self- defense that arises as a protective response to preserve the child’s sense of self-worth it’s the child’s way of expressing, “I am angry and hurt because I am not being treated the way I should be.” BASIC ANXIETY represents the psychological consequence of growing up in an environment characterized by unpredictability, hostility, and a lack of emotional security it is a pervasive sense of fear, insecurity, and unease that results from the perception of the world as potentially hostile and dangerous rooted from the child’s experience of not having their emotional needs met and feeling vulnerable in their family environment WAYS OF UNDERMINING A CHILD’S SECURITY Parents can act in various ways to undermine their child’s security and thereby induce hostility. These include obvious preference for one sibling over another, unfair punishment, erratic behavior, promises not kept, ridicule, humiliation, and isolation of the child from peers. Horney argued that children know whether their parents’ love is genuine. False demonstrations and insincere expressions of affection do not easily fool children. The child may feel the need to repress the hostility engendered by the parents’ undermining behaviors for reasons of helplessness, fear of the The state of helplessness in infancy can parents, need for genuine love, or guilt lead to neurotic behavior. feelings. Interaction of basic hostility and basic anxiety with the defenses against anxiety PROTECTIVE DEVICES 4 general ways that people do to protect themselves against basic anxiety: 1. Affection when individuals experience feelings of insecurity and vulnerability they desire for warmth, approval, and love from others as a way to counteract these emotions and their anxieties try to do whatever the other person wants strategy that does not always lead to authentic love ex: a person who experienced lack of love and nurturing during their formative years, may develop a strong need for validation and approval in their adult relationships (friendships, intimate, etc.) PROTECTIVE DEVICES 2. Submissiveness submit themselves either to people or institution (e.g., organization or religion) they do not give offense in any way; avoid anything that might antagonize others neurotics who submit to another person often do so in order to gain affection by conforming to the wishes of those they perceive as powerful, they can avoid conflict and gain a sense of security “If I give in, I will not be hurt” PROTECTIVE DEVICES 3. Power, Prestige, Possession involves relentless pursuit of success, recognition, and material wealth in the belief that these achievements will shield them from feelings of inadequacy and insecurity ex: a person who experienced lack of recognition and admiration early in life may become driven to attain a high social status, accumulate wealth, or achieve positions of authority PROTECTIVE DEVICES 4. Withdrawal ▪ developing an independence from others by becoming emotionally detached from them ▪ by psychologically withdrawing, neurotics feel that they cannot be hurt by other people ▪ “If I withdraw from people, they can’t hurt me” 10 NEUROTIC NEEDS 1. Neurotic need for affection and approval neurotics attempt to please others try to live up to the expectations of others 2. Neurotic need for a powerful partner lacks self-confidence neurotics attach themselves to a powerful partner overevaluation of love and fear of being alone Horney’s own life story reveals a strong need to relate to a great man and had a series of such relationships during her adult life 3. Neurotic need to restrict one’s life within narrow borders neurotics frequently strive to remain inconspicuous (not noticeable), to take second place, and content with very little downgrade own abilities and fear making demands on others 4. Neurotic need for power power and affection are two greatest neurotic needs need for power is usually combined with the needs for prestige and possession manifests as the need to control others and to avoid feelings of weakness and stupidity 5. Neurotic need to exploit others neurotics frequently evaluate others on the basis of how they can be used or exploited fear being exploited by others 6. Neurotic need for social recognition or prestige combat basic anxiety by trying to be first, to be important, or to attract attention to themselves 7. Neurotic need for personal admiration neurotics have a need to be admired for what they are rather than for what they possess inflated self-esteem must be fed by the admiration and approval of others 8. Neurotic need for ambition and personal achievement neurotics often have a strong drive to be the best must defeat other people in order to confirm superiority 9. Neurotic need for self- sufficiency and independence neurotics have a strong need to move away from people they can get along without others 10. Neurotic need for perfection and unassailability by striving relentlessly for perfection, neurotics receive “proof” of their self-esteem and personal superiority fear of making mistakes and having personal flaws desperately attempt to hide their weaknesses from others 3 NEUROTIC TRENDS 1. Moving Toward People compliant personality compelled to receive affection from everyone not genuine love rather, a neurotic need to protect oneself against feelings of helplessness they don’t love, they cling! MOVING TOWARD PEOPLE desperately strive for affection and approval of others OR seek a powerful partner who will take responsibility for their lives—referred to these needs as ‘morbid dependency’ a concept that anticipated the term ‘codependency’ likely to see themselves as loving, generous, unselfish, humble, and sensitive to other people’s feelings 2. Moving Against People aggressive personality sees everyone as potential enemy appear tough or ruthless strong need to exploit others and to use them for their own benefit MOVING AGAINST PEOPLE seldom admit their mistakes compulsively driven to appear perfect, powerful, and superior neurotic need #4 to #8 basic motivation is for power, prestige, and personal ambition they enter into relationships only when there is something to be gained relationships with these people are shallow, unfulfilling, and ultimately painful 3 NEUROTIC TRENDS the first two neurotic trends both need other people compliant people - need people to satisfy feelings of helplessness aggressive people - use people as protection against real or imagined hostility third one, other people are of lesser importance 3. Moving Away from People detached personality (even married people) expressions of needs for privacy, independence, and self-sufficiency neurotics find associating with others an intolerable strain, thus they compulsively driven to move away from people to attain autonomy and separateness MOVING AWAY FROM PEOPLE appear to be aloof and unapproachable greatest fear is to need other people many people use this as an attempt to solve the basic conflict of isolation because emotional attachment might lead to the kind of pain they remember from childhood, they develop a numbness to emotional experiences safest way to avoid anxiety is simply to avoid involvement in terms of relationship, affection cannot be returned because it is not even experienced, thus, for both paties relationship will be shallow and unrewarding  Paranoid PD, Schizoid PD, Schizotypal PD A PSS Antisocial PD, Borderline PD, Histrionic B ABHN PD, Narcissictic PD C ADO Avoidant PD, Dependent PD, Obsessive- Cumpulsive PD THE DOMINANCE OF ONE TREND Horney found that in the neurotic person, one of these three trends is dominant, whereas the other two are present to a lesser degree ex: the person who is predominantly aggressive also has some need for compliance and detachment the dominant neurotic trend is the one that determines the person’s behaviors and attitudes toward others (the mode of acting and thinking to control basic anxiety) the other two trends must actively be repressed, which can lead to additional problems, any indication that a repressed trend is pushing for expression causes conflict within the individual 3 PEOPLE & SITUATIONS TO BEST EXPLAIN NEUROSES: a woman who at first appears friendly and warm, she’s always involved in social activities and is quick to pass along a compliment; but people soon find that her attention turns into demands, she can’t stand to be alone, can’t accept the idea that her friends or romantic partners would be interested in doing anything without her 3 PEOPLE & SITUATIONS TO BEST EXPLAIN NEUROSES: second is a man who was disliked by almost everyone he went to college with, seemed to hold everyone he encountered with contempt, never heard him say a nice thing about anyone third is a woman who works in a small office tabulating figures,rarely socializes with the other employees, so now most of them have stopped asking her to join them, she has few friends and spends most of her evenings by herself What do you think these 3 people have in common? 3 PEOPLE & SITUATIONS TO BEST EXPLAIN NEUROSES: according to Horney, their similarities is that each is desperately fighting off feelings of inadequacy and insecurity though they eventually drive people away with their behavior, on the inside they are scared and pitiful individuals CONFLICT conflict is defined (in Horney’s theory) as the basic incompatibility of the three neurotic trends; this conflict is the core of neurosis normal individuals also experience this conflict but the difference between the normal person and the neurotic person lies in the intensity of the conflict; it is much more intense in the neurotic neurotic people must battle to keep the non-dominant trends from being expressed INTRAPSYCHIC CONFLICTS people who do not receive love and affection during childhood are blocked in their attemtp to acquire a stable sense of identity, feeling alienated from self, they create and idealized self-image, or an extravagantly positive picture of themselves 3 aspects of idealized self-image a. neurotic search for glory reflects a deep-seated desire to be seen as exceptional, unique, and outstanding in the eyes of others a.a. need for perfection achieve perfection based on the set of “shoulds” and “”should nots (tyranny of should) a.b. neurotic ambition compulsive drive toward superiority a.c. drive toward a vindictive triumph most destructive element of all disguised as a drive for achievement/success chief aim: to put others to shame or defeat; attain power, to inflict suffering 3 aspects of idealized self-image b. neurotic claims build a fantasy world that is out of sync with real world entitled to be treated in accordance with their idealized view of themselves display entitlement, expecting special treatment or prioritization 3 aspects of idealized self-image c. neurotic pride manifestation of an inflated ego and emphasis on external accomplishments and status this form of pride can lead to a preoccupation with one’s own achievements and an excessive focus on status symbols often measure their self-worth by the external markers of successes (e.g., wealth, social status, professional achievements) Self-hatred self-hatred manifests when real self and idealized self do not match—individuals end up hating themselves can be expressed in various ways 6 major ways to express self-hatred: a. relentless demands on the self believe they should be perfect (tyranny of should) set impossibly high standards and expectations this self-imposed pressure to excel leads to chronic stress, anxiety, and a sense of never being good enough 6 major ways to express self-hatred: b. merciless self-accusation involves constant inner dialogue of self-criticism and self-blame often hold themselves responsible for things beyond their control and believe they are fundamentally flawed or inadequate 6 major ways to express self-hatred: c. self-contempt the emotional expression of the deep-seated belief that one is fundamentally unlovable or unworthy of affection and approval belittling, doubting, discrediting, and ridiculing oneself example: woman attribute success to “luck” 6 major ways to express self-hatred: d. self-frustration refers to the internal tension and distress that arise from the inability to meet the unrealistic demands and expectations placed on oneself ex: “I must not strive for a better job because I’m not good enough for it” 6 major ways to express self-hatred: e. self-torment or self-torture involves engaging in self-destructive behaviors both physically and emotionally (e.g., self-sabotage) attain masochist satisfaction inviting abuses 6 major ways to express self-hatred: f. self-destructive actions and impulses neurotics may exhibit risky behaviors, self-neglect, or self-harming acts often result from intense sense of self-hatred and a belief that they deserve punishment for their perceived inadequacies examples of risky behaviors include overeating, abusing alcohol, drugs, working too hard FEMININE PSYCHOLOGY this concept represents a departure from the traditional views on women within psychoanalysis Horney emphasized societal norms and expectations played a significant role in shaping women’s self- concept, identities, and the way they cope with anxiety women experienced basic anxiety much like men but often express it differently due to societal pressures and expectations FEMININE PSYCHOLOGY Freud’s concept of penis envy - the desire every young girl has to be a boy was countered by Horney’s concept of womb envy - men’s envy of women’s ability to bear and nurse children doesn’t mean that men are dissatisfied with themselves, but rather each gender has attributes that the other admires suggest that men compensate for their inability to have children through achievement in other domains FEMININE PSYCHOLOGY Horney pointed out that Freud’s observations and writings took place at a time when society often placed women in inferior positions in a patriarchal society, women may develop identities rooted in fulfilling culturally defined roles, such as the caretaker, wife, or mother, which can be limiting and prevent them from fully realizing their potential PSYCHOTHERAPY Identifying coping individuals are encouraged to mechanisms explore and understand the coping mechanisms they have developed in response to basic anxiety and self-hatred these mechanisms (neurotic needs, trends, idealized self- image) are examined to uncover the ways they contribute to emotional distress and relational difficulties PSYCHOTHERAPY Challenging and reframing maladaptive thought restructuring patterns and behaviors thoughts and involves identifying negative self- behaviors talk and self-destructive actions and helping the clients to develop healthier ways of thinking and responding to stressors PSYCHOTHERAPY Promoting self- clients are encouraged to acceptance and self- embrace their imperfections and compassion recognize that self-worth does not depends on external achievemets or validation self-acceptance is viewed as a key step toward overcoming self- hatred and achieving emotional well-being PSYCHOTHERAPY Gender-inclusive recognizing the unique approach challenges that women face in patriarchal society and aiming to empower them to overcome societal limitations and achieve feminine fulfillment RELATED RESEARCH Morbid dependency research found that women with alcoholic parents, compared to those without, were more nurturing towards people they perceived as exploitative than towards nurturing individuals it hightlights that individuals with a background of familial alcoholism may develop a heightened need for approval and validation, leading them to engage in maladaptive behaviors CRITIQUE OF HORNEY Lack of empirical while her ideas are influential and evidence insightful, some critics argued that the theory relies heavily on clinical observations and case studies Complex and concepts such as basic anxiety, ambiguity neurotic needs, and idealized self-image are complicated and make it challenging to operationalize and test empirically CRITIQUE OF HORNEY Limited application to while it offers insights into the psychopathology development of neuroses and coping mechanisms, it may not be as well-suited for explaining severe mental disorders or providing guidance for their treatment Overemphasis on some critics contend that other gender elements (e.g., genetics, personality, and life’s experiences) should also be considered CRITIQUE OF HORNEY Psychotherapy criticized for being overly specific specificity to certain types of neuroses as a result, it may not be as versatile as other therapeutic approaches Historical and cultural theory does not sufficiently context account for the evolving nature of societal norms and the changing role of women in contemporary society CONCEPT OF HUMANITY Determinism vs. Free Choice acknowledged both factors recognized the deterministic aspect in the form of basic anxiety and development of neurotic needs due to early life experiences also emphasized free choice in which individuals have the capacity to work on self-awareness and make choices to address and change their neurotic patterns Pessimism vs. Optimism strikes a balance between the two acknowledged the presence of basic anxiety and neurotic needs as potential source of psychological distress also emphasized self-realization, personal growth, and the potential of individuals to overcome their neuroses and achieve emotional well-being Causality vs. Teleology incorporates both side recognizes the causal influences of ealty early life experiences (parenting and societal norms) also emphasize teleological aspect which comes into play throught therapeutic process CONCEPT OF HUMANITY Conscious vs. emphasizes conscious determinants of Unconscious behavior Determinants of Behavior she believed that individuals are aware of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors Biological vs. Social strongly emphasizes social influences on Influences on Personality personality argued that societal norms and expectations, as well as early life experiences, are key factors in psychological development Uniqueness vs. recognizes the uniqueness of individuals Similarities Among each person’s experiences and neurotic People patterns are unique to them ▪ before the class ends, explain the term “neo-Freudian” END.