Contributions of Karen Horney to Psychology

Contributions of Karen Horney to Psychology History and Biographies Print Contributions of Karen Horney to Psychology By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on August 19, 2019 Bettmann/Getty Images More in Psychology History and Biographies Psychotherapy Basics Student Resources Theories Phobias Emotions Sleep and Dreaming In This Article Table of Contents Expand Best Known For Timeline of Horney's Life Early Life Career Major Contributions Selected Works Biographies Further Reading View All Back To Top Karen Horney (pronouned hor-neye) was a neo-Freudian psychologist known for her theory of neurotic needs, her research on feminine psychology, and her critiques of Freuds emphasis on the concept of penis envy. In addition to this, she made important contributions to the areas of self-psychology and her emphasis on the role that self-analysis and self-help play in mental health. Life itself still remains a very effective therapist. â€" Karen Horney Best Known For Feminine psychologyTheory of neurotic needsNeo-Freudian psychology Brief Timeline of Karen Horneys Life September 16, 1885 - Born in Germany.1906 - Entered medical school.1909 - Married law student Oscar Horney.1911 - Horneys mother died.1926 - Horney left her husband and moved to the U.S.1942 - Published Self-AnalysisDecember 4, 1952 - Died Early Life Karen Horney dealt with depression early in life. She described her father as a strict disciplinarian and was very close to her older brother, Berndt. When he distanced himself from her, Horney became depressed, a problem she would deal with throughout her life. Horney devoted herself to school, believing that, If I couldnt be pretty, I decided I would be smart. She began medical school in 1906 and married a law student named Oskar Horney in 1909. The death of her mother and then brother in 1911 and 1923 were extremely difficult for Horney. In 1926, Horney left her husband and in 1930 moved to the United States with her three daughters, Brigitte, Marianne, and Renate. It was here that she became friends with other prominent intellectuals and developed her theories on psychology. Career, Theories, and Critique of Freud Karen Horney developed a theory of neurosis that is still prominent today. Unlike previous theorists, Horney viewed these neuroses as a sort of coping mechanism that is a large part of normal life. She identified ten neuroses, including the need for power, the need for affection, the need for social prestige, and the need for independence. She defined neurosis as the psychic disturbance brought by fears and defenses against these fears, and by attempts to find compromise solutions for conflicting tendencies. She also believed that in order to understand these neuroses, it was essential to look at the culture in which a person lived. Where Freud had suggested that many neuroses had a biological base, Horney believed that cultural attitudes played a role in determining these neurotic feelings. While Horney followed much of Sigmund Freuds theory, she disagreed with his views on female psychology. She rejected his concept of penis envy, declaring it to be both inaccurate and demeaning to women. Horney instead proposed the concept of womb envy in which men experience feelings of inferiority because they cannot give birth to children. Is not the tremendous strength in men of the impulse to creative work in every field precisely due to their feeling of playing a relatively small part in the creation of living beings, which constantly impels them to an overcompensation in achievement? Horney suggested. Major Contributions to Psychology Karen Horney made significant contributions to humanism, self-psychology, psychoanalysis, and feminine psychology. Her refutation of Freuds theories about women generated more interest in the psychology of women. Horney also believed that people were able to act as their own therapists, emphasizing the personal role each person has in their own mental health and encouraging self-analysis and self-help. Horney was a psychologist during a time when womens contributions were often overlooked and ignored. Despite the many obstacles that she faced as a woman in a field dominated by men, she became a prominent thinker who made important contributions to our understanding of human psychology. Selected Works Horney, K. (1967). Feminine Psychology, New York: W. W. Norton.Horney, K. (1942). Self-Analysis, New York: Norton.Horney, K. (1942). The collected works of Karen Horney (volume II). New York: W.W. Norton Company. Biographies Hitchcock, S. T. (2004) Karen Horney: Pioneer of Feminine Psychology, Chelsea House Publishers.Quinn, S. (1987). A mind of her own: The life of Karen Horney, New York: Summit Books.Rubins, J. L. (1978). Karen Horney: Gentle rebel of psychoanalysis, New York: The Dial Press. Further Reading Kelman, H. (1972). Power: the cultural approach of Karen Horney, SPSA, 20:71-82.Paris, B. (1994). Karen Horney: a psychoanalysts search for self-understanding., New Haven, CT: Yale Univ. Press.Sayers, J. (1991). Mothers of Psychoanalysis. Helene Detsch, Karen Horney, Anna Freud, Melanie Klein, New York/London: W.W.Norton and Co.