Psychodynamic Psychodynamic PerspectivesPerspectives

Neo-FreudiansNeo-Freudians

Karen HorneyKaren Horney

theory of theory of neurosisneurosis– according to Horney, a means according to Horney, a means

of “interpersonal control and of “interpersonal control and coping”coping”

– neurotic persons exhibit neurotic persons exhibit greater greater neurotic needsneurotic needs and and exhibit greater exhibit greater anxietyanxiety when when they are not fulfilledthey are not fulfilled

– 3 basic coping strategies:3 basic coping strategies: compliance (moving toward compliance (moving toward

people)people) aggression (moving against aggression (moving against

people)people) withdrawal (moving away withdrawal (moving away

from people)from people)

Karen HorneyKaren Horney

suggested a male counterpart to suggested a male counterpart to Freud’s “penis envy” called “womb Freud’s “penis envy” called “womb envy”envy”

theory about developmenttheory about development– parents must make their children feel parents must make their children feel

lovedloved– lack of this is lack of this is parental indifferenceparental indifference

from the child’s point of viewfrom the child’s point of view two modes of coping: basic hosility and two modes of coping: basic hosility and basic basic

anxietyanxiety

Basic AnxietyBasic Anxiety

a feeling of hopelessness and a feeling of hopelessness and abandonmentabandonment

reduces interpersonal relationships reduces interpersonal relationships and the ability to thrive in a social and the ability to thrive in a social settingsetting

child tends to put up constant child tends to put up constant defenses and protective mechanismsdefenses and protective mechanisms

Alfred AdlerAlfred Adler everyone is everyone is

motivated by motivated by striving for striving for perfectionperfection

second to perfection second to perfection is is GemeinschaftsgefuGemeinschaftsgefuhl, or hl, or social social interestinterest

people cannot be people cannot be overwhelmed by overwhelmed by inferiorityinferiority

Inferiority ComplexInferiority Complex

occurs when a person focuses on occurs when a person focuses on their failures to live up to perfectiontheir failures to live up to perfection

people compensate to make up for people compensate to make up for their weaker areas in stronger onestheir weaker areas in stronger ones

characterized by timid emotions, low characterized by timid emotions, low self-esteemself-esteem

Social InterestSocial Interest

combination of innate and learned combination of innate and learned forms of social communicationforms of social communication

idea of caring for others, family, idea of caring for others, family, community, etc.community, etc.

notnot mere extroversion mere extroversion

Creative SelfCreative Self

the way we use hereditary and the way we use hereditary and environmental dispositions to form environmental dispositions to form our personalityour personality

we have the freedom to determine we have the freedom to determine our persons within predetermined our persons within predetermined boundariesboundaries

Carl JungCarl Jung the the psyche psyche is divided is divided

into three parts:into three parts:– EgoEgo– Personal unconsciousPersonal unconscious– Collective unconsciousCollective unconscious

the contents of the the contents of the collective unconscious collective unconscious are are archetypesarchetypes

people are classified as people are classified as introverted or introverted or extravertedextraverted

Collective UnconsciousCollective Unconscious

innate universal knowledgeinnate universal knowledge we cannot be truly conscious of itwe cannot be truly conscious of it influences all behavior and influences all behavior and

experiences, and we can discern it experiences, and we can discern it from those influencesfrom those influences– ex.: love at first site, déjà vu, ex.: love at first site, déjà vu,

recognition of certain myths throughout recognition of certain myths throughout many culturesmany cultures

ArchetypesArchetypes

dominating contents of the collective dominating contents of the collective unconsciousunconscious

Mother archetype: we can recognize Mother archetype: we can recognize the nuturing relationship of a motherthe nuturing relationship of a mother

Shadow archetype: the instinctive, Shadow archetype: the instinctive, animalistic evils we cannot admit to animalistic evils we cannot admit to havehave

Others: family, father, child, hero, etc.Others: family, father, child, hero, etc.

PersonaPersona

Archetype of the public imageArchetype of the public image we convey ourselves to the world we convey ourselves to the world

differently in groups than when we differently in groups than when we are aloneare alone

either a good or false impression on either a good or false impression on other people in order to maintain a other people in order to maintain a normalcy of self with othersnormalcy of self with others

Anima and AnimusAnima and Animus

Anima- the female Anima- the female aspect present in aspect present in the the unconsciousness of unconsciousness of menmen

Animus- the male Animus- the male aspect present in aspect present in the the unconsciousness of unconsciousness of womenwomen syzygy- their combinationsyzygy- their combination

relationships work well when the other relationships work well when the other person fulfills one’s anima/animusperson fulfills one’s anima/animus

Introversion v. ExtroversionIntroversion v. Extroversion

IntrovertsIntroverts– prefer inner prefer inner

thoughts, feelings, thoughts, feelings, ideas, beliefsideas, beliefs

ExtravertsExtraverts– relate to the world relate to the world

through exterior through exterior motives and goalsmotives and goals

Four functions that define introverts and Four functions that define introverts and extraverts within themselvesextraverts within themselves– Sensing- achieved through actual perceptionSensing- achieved through actual perception– Thinking- through cognitive functionThinking- through cognitive function– Intuiting- through innate knowledgeIntuiting- through innate knowledge– Feeling- through emotionFeeling- through emotion

Projective TestsProjective Tests

personality testspersonality tests provide ambiguous provide ambiguous

stimulistimuli trigger projections trigger projections

of inner dynamics of inner dynamics of the subjectof the subject

subjective answers subjective answers reveal inner reveal inner thoughtsthoughts

TATTAT

Thematic Apperception TestThematic Apperception Test Henry A. Murray and Christiana D. Morgan Henry A. Murray and Christiana D. Morgan

designed it in the 1930sdesigned it in the 1930s 31 slides with ambiguous images of 31 slides with ambiguous images of

situationssituations Subjects are asked to describe the sceneSubjects are asked to describe the scene

RorschachRorschach

A set of inkblots A set of inkblots made by Hermann made by Hermann RorscachRorscach

SymmetricalSymmetrical Sought to identify Sought to identify

inner drives by inner drives by analyzing analyzing interpretations of interpretations of the blotsthe blots

Psychodynamic TheoryPsychodynamic Theory

Theories stemming from Freud’s Theories stemming from Freud’s original ideasoriginal ideas

Divided the brain into different Divided the brain into different conscious and unconscious partsconscious and unconscious parts

We develop psychological ways of We develop psychological ways of thinking and processing information thinking and processing information from a young age; our younger from a young age; our younger experiences reflect in our older onesexperiences reflect in our older ones

The mind is not perfectly directThe mind is not perfectly direct

Poor TestabilityPoor Testability

Projective tests are hard to verify, Projective tests are hard to verify, since they have unique, per-person since they have unique, per-person responses and interpretationsresponses and interpretations

They do not predict behavior; rather They do not predict behavior; rather they take what is already known and they take what is already known and correlate different thingscorrelate different things

Inadequate EvidenceInadequate Evidence

Simply put, there is little empirical Simply put, there is little empirical data to support the theories of Neo-data to support the theories of Neo-Freudians other than specific Freudians other than specific individual experiencesindividual experiences

SexismSexism

The theories of the Neo-Freudians The theories of the Neo-Freudians are often gender specificare often gender specific– ex. Anima/animusex. Anima/animus

Horney’s complement of “penis Horney’s complement of “penis envy” with “womb envy” shows that envy” with “womb envy” shows that theories do not necessarily work for theories do not necessarily work for both genders, and data might be both genders, and data might be skewed toward men or womenskewed toward men or women