Feminine Psychology
Study Guide
Western Mindanao State University
Karen Horney’s Feminine Psychology
Perhaps the most important contribution Karen Horney made to psychodynamic thought was her
disagreements with Freud’s view of women. Horney was never a student of Freud, but did study his
work and eventually taught psychoanalysis at both the Berlin and New York Psychoanalytic Institute.
After her insistence that Freud’s view of the inherent difference between males and females, she agreed
to leave the institute and form her own school known as the American Institute for Psychoanalysis.
In many ways, Horney was well ahead of her time and although she died before the feminist movement
took hold, she was perhaps the theorist who changed the way psychology looked at gender differences.
She encountered Freud’s concept of penis envy with what she called womb envy, or man’s envy of
woman’s ability to bear children. She argued that men compensate for this inability by striving for
achievement and success in other realms.
She also disagreed with Freud’s belief that males and females were born with inherent differences in
their personality. Rather than citing biological differences, she argued for a societal and cultural
explanation. In her view, men and women were equal outside of the cultural restrictions often placed on
being female. These views, while not well accepted at the time, were used years after her death to help
promote gender equality.
Neurosis and Relationships
Horney was also known for her study of neurotic personality. She defined neurosis as a maladaptive
and counterproductive way of dealing with relationships. These people are unhappy and desperately
seek out relationships in order to feel good about themselves. Their way of securing these relationships
include projections of their own insecurity and neediness which eventually drives others away.
Most of us have come in contact with people who seem to successfully irritate or frighten people away
with their clinginess, significant lack of self-esteem, and even anger and threatening behavior.
According to Horney, these individuals adapted this personality style through a childhood filled with
anxiety. And while this way of dealing with other may have been beneficial in their youth, as adults it
serves to almost guarantee their needs not be met. She identified three ways of dealing with the world
that are formed by an upbringing in a neurotic family: Moving toward People, Moving against People,
and Moving Away From People.
Moving Toward People – Some children who feel a great deal of anxiety and helplessness move
toward people in order to seek help and acceptance. They are striving to feel worthy and can believe the
only way to gain this is through the acceptance of others. These people have an intense need to be
liked, involved, important, and appreciated. So much so, that they will often fall in love quickly or feel
an artificial but very strong attachment to people that they may not know well. Their attempts to make
that person love them creates a clinginess and neediness that much more often than not results in the
other person leaving the relationship.
Moving Against People – Another way to deal with insecurities and anxiety is to try to force your
power onto others in hopes of feeling good about yourself. Those with this personality style come
Study Guide
Western Mindanao State University
Karen Horney’s Feminine Psychology
Perhaps the most important contribution Karen Horney made to psychodynamic thought was her
disagreements with Freud’s view of women. Horney was never a student of Freud, but did study his
work and eventually taught psychoanalysis at both the Berlin and New York Psychoanalytic Institute.
After her insistence that Freud’s view of the inherent difference between males and females, she agreed
to leave the institute and form her own school known as the American Institute for Psychoanalysis.
In many ways, Horney was well ahead of her time and although she died before the feminist movement
took hold, she was perhaps the theorist who changed the way psychology looked at gender differences.
She encountered Freud’s concept of penis envy with what she called womb envy, or man’s envy of
woman’s ability to bear children. She argued that men compensate for this inability by striving for
achievement and success in other realms.
She also disagreed with Freud’s belief that males and females were born with inherent differences in
their personality. Rather than citing biological differences, she argued for a societal and cultural
explanation. In her view, men and women were equal outside of the cultural restrictions often placed on
being female. These views, while not well accepted at the time, were used years after her death to help
promote gender equality.
Neurosis and Relationships
Horney was also known for her study of neurotic personality. She defined neurosis as a maladaptive
and counterproductive way of dealing with relationships. These people are unhappy and desperately
seek out relationships in order to feel good about themselves. Their way of securing these relationships
include projections of their own insecurity and neediness which eventually drives others away.
Most of us have come in contact with people who seem to successfully irritate or frighten people away
with their clinginess, significant lack of self-esteem, and even anger and threatening behavior.
According to Horney, these individuals adapted this personality style through a childhood filled with
anxiety. And while this way of dealing with other may have been beneficial in their youth, as adults it
serves to almost guarantee their needs not be met. She identified three ways of dealing with the world
that are formed by an upbringing in a neurotic family: Moving toward People, Moving against People,
and Moving Away From People.
Moving Toward People – Some children who feel a great deal of anxiety and helplessness move
toward people in order to seek help and acceptance. They are striving to feel worthy and can believe the
only way to gain this is through the acceptance of others. These people have an intense need to be
liked, involved, important, and appreciated. So much so, that they will often fall in love quickly or feel
an artificial but very strong attachment to people that they may not know well. Their attempts to make
that person love them creates a clinginess and neediness that much more often than not results in the
other person leaving the relationship.
Moving Against People – Another way to deal with insecurities and anxiety is to try to force your
power onto others in hopes of feeling good about yourself. Those with this personality style come
