Question

Discuss one of the major personality theories and how this theory is used to conduct assessment in 200 words or more

Answer 1

Karen Horney developed a theory to understand how individuals indulge in self-protective mechanisms to be able to deal with basic anxiety, which stems from their childhood experiences which is responsible for their adult personality. Horney classified them under three groups;

Moving towards people: Jane is constantly is looking for a dominant personality in her life. She always had friends who took control of her life and eventually married a man who took charge of her life. However, she was manipulative and got her way every single time. This never bothered her husband because she was a 'compliant personality'. She would to anything to please her husband. She would repress her thoughts and feelings. She was never assertive or demanding. Her center of need was to be accepted by everyone. This works on the principle that 'Look, I am so weak and helpless, so love me'.

Moving against people: Sarah is a tough woman. She did not show any regard towards others. She is very dominating and has absolutely no concerns about appeasing others. She would instead argue, criticize and belittle others. Her actions stemmed from the same insecurity and fear as Jane's, however, she never displayed fear or rejection instead claimed to be very tough and not bothered by whatever anybody says about her. In reality it did bother her. It ate up majority part of her mind. But, pretending to be strong was her self-protective mechanism.

Moving away from people: Chris liked to physically keep away from people. He is a 'detached' personality. He likes spending time with himself. He avoids meeting anybody at all. He likes his space. Since he does not exercise his emotions much, he focuses on logical reasoning and intelligence. According to Horney, basic anxiety develops from childhood experiences. It majorly stems from the relationship that a child shares with his/her parent. Love and affection from a mother or father is of utmost importance. Not having received the wanted love from parents makes a child insecure and anxious.

Karen Horney exercised the method of free association in the treatment procedure of basic anxiety in her clients. Free association is a form of assessment wherein the client is seated comfortably and asked certain questions or exposed to certain words to which the client begins responding. There are covert feelings that come out during the process of free association which could be a major cause of basic anxiety in an individual. Horney emphasizes on being an 'exquisitely cooperative enterprise', which means that instead of taking the client's word while probing, she instead emphasizes on the emotional reaction or response to certain questions and words. Individuals could easily manipulate and distort information verbally in the process. Thus, she focused on the emotional reactions during the process of free association.