Karen Horneys Psychology - Essay Example

Karen Horney was a Neo-psycho analyst specialist (Cea 13).She made great contribution to the study and research of psychoanalysis and feminine psychology. She used a number of theories to try and explain the nature of a feminine mind. Horney’s theory is the best theories that ever existed. They are based on her personal life and how she overcame her problems. Horney’s personal life and how she was able to deal and solve her problems is used as the main motivation underlying her psychology.

According to her, the concept of neurosis and psychoanalysis involves inner conflict. This aspect made her theory to be one of the best theories to explain neurosis. Neurosis is a disturbance caused by fears, worries and how to defend oneself from these fears (Cea 33). According to Horney, in the theory of psychoanalysis, development involves seeking self realization (Cea 23). It helps an individual to cope with life in different environment. In contrast, Freud in the theory of psychoanalysis sees development as a way of avoiding self-realization (Cea 43).

Horney viewed man as a creature which is able to be a decent person and has a capacity to change for the better but Freud despite understanding the concept of inner conflict, contrasted this by having a strong disbelief in human goodness and growth. He saw inner conflict as a repressing (Cea 29). According to a study by Karen Horney basic anxiety is a feeling of helpless, small and insignificant in an environment (Cea 46). She described many ways in which people use to copy with this anxiety which includes; moving away from people, moving toward people and in other cases moving against people.

Freud has another way of looking at basic anxiety which contrasted that of Karen. According to him, fear needs no introduction and at times it is more precise. According to him fear arises from the mind of an individual which results to basic anxiety (Cea 23).According to a study by Karen Horney this motivation arise from fear which results to anxiety (Cea 56). Basic anxiety is a feeling of helpless, small and insignificant in an environment. She described many ways in which people use to copy with this anxiety which includes; moving away from people, moving toward people and in other cases moving against people.

Freud has another way of looking at basic anxiety which contrasted that of Karen. According to him, fear needs no introduction and at times its more precise. According to him fear arises from the mind of an individual which results to basic anxiety (Cea 23).Basic anxiety refers to maladaptive patterns that occur as a result of children exposure to some basic evils or an environment that does not suits or provide their basic needs (Cea 23). According to Karen Horney, neurosis was as a result of basic anxiety, caused by interpersonal relationships.

Horney’s theory proposes that strategies used to cope with this anxiety can be overused. This overusing can cause them to take on the appearance. According to Karen, basic anxiety as well as neurosis could be as a result of many things (Cea 23). The causes range from direct to indirect domination, indifference, and lack of proper guidance, negative altitude, too much admiration and over protection. These are the main causes of basic anxiety according to Karen Horney. In addition to that, isolation from other children during their childhood, injustices, unfulfilled promises and hostile environment are also the main causes of basic anxiety.

Work CitedTop of FormCea Critic. College Station, Tex: Dept. of English, Texas A & M University, 2007. Print.Bottom of Form