16 detachment even from their spouse. They shun social commitments, but their
greatest fear is to need other people 171.
b. Neurotic
Horney believes that people who do not have their needs for love and affection satisfied during the childhood develop basic hostility toward their
parents and, as a consequence, suffer from basic anxiety. Horney, as cited by Feist and Feist, theorizes that people combat basic
anxiety by adopting one of three fundamental styles relating to others: moving toward people, moving against people, and moving away from people 161.
Further, Feist and Feist explain “Normal individual may use any of these modes of relating to other people, but neurotics are compelled to rigidly rely on only one.
161”. In conclusion, Feist and Feist state that Horney’s view of humanity is an
optimistic one and is centered on cultural forces that are amenable to change 164.
Neurotic is a term in Psychology, especially in Psychoanalysis. Neurotic means syndrome. Freud, as cited by Davison and Neale, says that neurotic is
similar to fear. Concisely, neurotic—as it is stated by Davison and Neale—is a syndrom of anxiety 36.
Speaking to the subject of neurosis, Horney, as cited by Feist and Feist, says that neuroses also relate with the society. She says that someone becomes a
neurotic because he or she wants to find ‘a path through wildernesses’ 164. Meanwhile, this wilderness is created by society and not by instincts or anatomy.
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c. The Impact of Culture and the Importance of Childhood Experiences
Based on Horney’s theory, personality is the impact of culture. According to Horney, as cited by Feist and Feist, the conditions in the society related to
cultural influences are what shape someone’s personalities 165. Further, Horney, as cited by Feist and Feist, also believes that childhood is
the age from which majority of problems arise. She says that childhood experiences are primarily responsible for personality development 165.
Therefore, children should experience a good environment. This idea is expressed in Horney’s statement that is referred by Feist and Feist: Horney suggests that
children need a warm and loving environment yet one that is not overly permissive. Children need to experience both genuine love and healthy discipline
165-166. Concisely, The Psychoanalytic Social Theory of Karen Horney says that
culture, especially early childhood experiences, plays a leading role in shaping human personality, either neurotic or healthy.
d. Horney’s Theory on Ways People Protect Themselves against Loneliness
