Accounting for Neurosis
Karen Horney's work of non-fiction, Neurosis and Human Growth, is many different things. It is an astute analysis of the self -- both as it exists inwardly and externally. It is a comparative effort on some of the most eminent theories pertaining to Sigmund Freud. It also offers more than a little advice for how to account for life and the feelings of fulfillment and completeness towards which most people strive. In addressing all of these various aspects of human existence, the author relies on the conception of the neurotic as a fundamental starting point for how the self operates, what it accounts for, and how it ultimately plays out in the lives of any different number of individuals. This reliance on the neurotic as the touchstone for the author's myriad concepts discussed in this book function as the central takeaway of a work that actually spans in many different directions.
It is important to realize that Horney views neuroticism as a reactionary aspect of human life and not an immanent one. This point is tremendous and actually helps to focus the scope of the book and the vast majority of the notions the author addresses in this manuscript. In fact, what Horney is actually alluding to by offering this idea is the fact that human nature in and of itself is not base, self-serving, or looking for simple carnal gratifications (all tenets which are central to many of Freud's most popular theories about people and human nature in general). Instead, the author postulates that all people have an inner self -- described as a "central inner force" (Horney) that is buoyant, positive, and which seeks to help them grow and achieve a sort of independence which realizes the true sense of completion and meaning of human existence. However, the author believes that there is a process of deliberate socialization -- which takes many different forms...
For Horney, it is self-actualization that ultimately develops a healthy individual, wherein satisfaction of the basic needs of an individual, such as sense of belongingness and love, are satisfactorily met and felt by the individual. If these needs are not met, the individual can develop conflicting selves: the "ideal" and "real" selves, which creates an internal conflict within the individual. This conflict creates, not only dissatisfaction, but a general
Essay Topic Examples Karen Horney's Contributions to Psychology: Explore the significant contributions of Karen Horney to the field of psychology, emphasizing her challenges to Freud's theories, the development of her own theories on neurosis, and the introduction of feminine psychology. Discuss how her ideas progressed through her career and the impact they have had on the understanding of human psychology today. Comparative Analysis of Karen Horney
The second major category of neurosis consisted of the need to control those very desires, and so remain independent and even assert control over other people. This she called Moving Against People (Horney, 2003, p. 116). Horney had, from the beginning struck out on her path independent of her mentor, Abraham, and her indirect mentors Freud and Adler. Lastly, there was the desire to abandon the world altogether, or
Psychosocial Development Theory In the history of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud was the first to delve into the unknown recesses of the human mind to identify reasons for neuroses. As such, he identified infantile sexuality to lie at the heart of most problems in the relationship with the self and others and used the three-dimensional model of the id, the ego, and superego to describe the various ways in which these neuroses
Personality Theory Neurosis in the workplace and in society in general This essay discusses with regard to neurosis and to the degree to which it can affect a person. The paper relates to how the contemporary society has a somewhat limited understanding of the concept and concerning how the fact that many mental health specialists consider the matter to be outdated does not help neurotic individuals and people around them. There
The ideal self is the person, someone feels they should be and will model their behavior, based upon this image. The real self is the side of your personality that friends and family know well. This creates a conflict in the individual called self-actualization, as the person will attempt to live up to the image of their ideal self. Where, these perceptions will affect the self-image of the individual
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now