Definition
Karen Horney (1937) defined neurosis as a “psychic disturbance brought about by fears and defenses against these fears, and by attempts to find compromise solutions for conflicting tendencies” (p. 26).Neurotic conflicts stem from childhood experiences where parental figures did not provide a loving, safe, and consistent environment. As a result, the child internalizes core feelings and beliefs of unworthiness, shame, and defectiveness. In an attempt to distance from these feelings, the individual develops compromise solutions to create a homeostatic self-regulating system to keep painful feelings at bay.
Introduction
Karen Horney (1885–1952) was one of the most original psychoanalytic thinkers to emerge from the Berlin Psychoanalytic Institute, a renowned...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Danielian, J., & Gianotti, P. (2012). Listening with purpose: Entry points into shame and narcissistic vulnerability. New York: Jason Aronson.
Ferenczi, S. (1952). First contributions to psycho-analysis. London: Hogarth Press.
Ferenczi, S. (1955). Final contributions to the problems and methods of psycho-analysis. London: Hogarth Press.
Ferenczi, S., & Rank, O. (1925). The development of psychoanalysis. New York: Nervous and Mental Disease Publishing.
Horney, K. (1939). New ways in psychoanalysis. New York: Norton.
Horney, K. (1945). Our inner conflicts: A constructive theory of neurosis. New York: Putnam.
Horney, K. (1950). Neurosis and human growth: The struggle toward self-realization. New York: Norton.
Reich, W. (1949). Character analysis. New York: Noonday Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Danielian, J., Gianotti, P. (2020). Neurosis and Neurotic Conflict. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_1400
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_1400
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-24610-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-24612-3
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences