Human Condition, Feelings and Needs
- Musleh Saadi
- Feb 26
- 4 min read
Human Condition, Feelings, and Needs in Context of (3. Three Character Trends by Karen Horney I. Going Towards People, Going Away from People, and Going Against People. )
Karen Horney's Three Character Trends
Karen Horney was one of the most prominent psychoanalysts. She described her "Three Character Trends" as a conceptual analysis used to explain how people respond to stress, anxiety, insecurity, and unfavorable relationships. These three trends—"Moving Towards People", "Moving Away from People", and "Moving Against People"—represent the ways of individuals respond to their emotional and social surroundings. These behaviors are conditioned by the childhood of an individual and, as such, are often coping behaviors at the adult stage. List these trends in detail below, following the given assessment rubric.
I. Moving Toward People (Compliance)
The "Moving Towards People" trend reflects a desire for security and affection through the establishment of close relationships. It arises from feelings of helplessness or dependency and represents an individual's attempt to gain reassurance and avoid rejection.
Key Characteristics:
A strong need for social interaction, approval, and validation.
Sensitivity to criticism and fear of rejection.
A tendency to people-please by prioritizing others' needs over personal desires.
Fear of abandonment or isolation motivates individuals to seek constant affirmation.
Horney emphasized that individuals exhibiting this trend might become overly reliant on others, compromising their autonomy to maintain harmony in relationships. For example, a person may endure toxic or one-sided relationships simply to avoid being alone.
Textual Reference: In 'Neurosis and Human Growth'(1950), Horney details how this tendency comes about as a defense to persons who are insecure in their social surroundings, hence dependent on extrinsic reinforcement.
II. Moving Away from People (Detachment)
'The Moving Away from People' tendency is all about self-reliance and emotional detachment. Such people become aloof as a means of preserving themselves against vulnerability, intimacy, and conflict.
Key Traits:
A need for independence and minimum dependency on others.
Avoidance or withdrawal from close relationships due to the fear of emotional intimacy.
May subdue their emotions and have a cold or uncaring attitude.
Isolation in preferring solitary work or intellectual activities above socializing.
This pattern is due to the fear of losing control or being disappointed with emotional intimacy. People belonging to this category so value their independence that they become isolative and prevent themselves from possibly suffering at the hands of interpersonal relationships.
Example: A person who constantly denies himself the ability to form friendships or love and instead devotes himself to his work or other hobbies will express this pattern.
Textual Reference: Horney noted that this is a defensive activity to avoid feelings of inadequacy or rejection.
III. Moving Against People (Aggression
The "Moving Against People" trend is the need for power, control, and dominance. Those who manifest this behavior perceive relationships as power plays in which aggression and assertiveness are ways to protect oneself and be successful.
Key Characteristics:
A strong drive for power and competitiveness. Manipulative or exploitative behaviors to achieve personal goals. Hostility or aggression as a way to mask vulnerability. A fear of being controlled or dominated, leading to preemptive defensive behavior.
This trend often develops in individuals who feel that the world is hostile or competitive. To them, success and dominance are vital for self-worth and survival. For instance, a person might aggressively assert themselves in the workplace, manipulating colleagues to climb the career ladder.
Textual Reference: Horney expressed this trend in "Our Inner Conflicts" (1945), citing that individuals that adopt this defense mechanism tend not to have intrinsic emotional relationships, but instead thrive on outwardly achieving and dominating.
Coherence and Interconnection
Although these trends are unique, they are not necessarily conflicting. A person may have different tendencies at different times. For instance, a person may use the "Moving Towards People" trend in personal relationships but the "Moving Against People" trend in professional life. Horney believed that knowing these patterns can help one know oneself better and maintain healthier interpersonal relationships.
Conclusion
Karen Horney's 'Three Character Trends' provide an insight into human behavior, especially in the ways people handle anxiety and their relations with others. These trends are compliance, detachment, and aggression. These trends describe the intricacies of interpersonal interaction and the psychological basis of these behaviors. Knowing these tendencies can help individuals reach greater emotional equilibrium and develop deeper connections.
(Neurosis is an inability to adapt and a tendency to experience excessive negative or obsessive thoughts and behaviors. The term has been in use since the 1700s. In 1980, the diagnosis was removed from the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders." While no longer a formal diagnosis, the term is still often used informally to describe behaviors related to stress and anxiety.1
Karen Horney (pronounced HORN-eye) was a psychoanalyst and theorist who suggested that people possess several neurotic needs that play a role in driving behavior. In her 1942 book "Self-Analysis," Horney outlined her theory of neurosis, describing different types of neurotic behavior as a result of overusing coping strategies to deal with basic anxiety.
This article discusses Horney's theory of neurotic needs, including those for power, prestige, and affection. It also covers the three broad categories of needs and how they contributed to Karen Horney's theory of personality.
Horney's Theory of Neurotic Needs
Psychoanalytic theorist Karen Horney is known for developing one of the best-known theories of neurosis. She believed that neurosis resulted from basic anxiety caused by interpersonal relationships.
Horney's theory proposed that strategies used to cope with anxiety can be overused, causing them to take on the appearance of needs.
According to Horney, basic anxiety (and therefore neurosis) could result from a variety of situations. She suggested that as children, people often have experiences that contribute to neuroticism, including:
• Excessive admiration
• Injustice and discrimination
• Isolation from other children
• Lack of respect for needs
• Lack of guidance
• Lack of warmth
• Over-protection
• Parental arguments or hostility in the home
• Too much or too little responsibility
• Unkept promises
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