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179th out of 413 books
—
426 voters
Our Inner Conflicts: A Constructive Theory of Neurosis
by
Karen Horney
Unlike Freud, Horney does not regard neurosis as rooted in instinct. In her words, her theory is constructive because "it allows us for the first time to tackle and resolve neurotic hopelessness. . . . Neurotic conflicts cannot be resolved by rational decision. . . . But [they] can be resolved by changing the conditions within the personality that brought them into being."
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
October 17th 1992
by W. W. Norton & Company
(first published 1945)
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Sep 06, 2007
Lisa
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Student / Field Psychologist
Shelves:
psychology-clinical
Karen Horney is one of the most famous of the Post-Freudian psychoanalysts. Horney's concepts examine the root causes of neurosis, basic anxiety, an idealized self image, and internal conflicting behavioral impulses. They are insightful, but honestly I don't always agree with her ideology. Her behavioral paradigm is useful for understanding the psychoanalytic view of human behavior I will admitt. And understanding her concepts can be valuable for those who are studying psychology and are already...more
Nov 16, 2012
Kaveh Ghaffari
added it
in persian language the translation of this book is little different
the "oppositions of mentality" i read it when i was 20 years old 17 years ago
the "oppositions of mentality" i read it when i was 20 years old 17 years ago
This book explains everything about human character and is really beautifully written. It's as breezy as Linda Goodman's Sun Signs but much more complex. Horney theory is actually so complex that most people don't talk about her anymore, even though she was one of the most important psychoanalytic theorists, the only woman to have her own school of analysis, and one of the first analysts to go against Freud. I don't agree with 100% of it but it still blew my mind. It also makes you feel really c...more
Another great book to read for insights into human behavior.
If you ever question your actions, pick this book up.
Clearly written, carefully observed.
I can't say I'm a huge Horney fan, but as a psych student, I guess it's important to understand her theories to see "where we came from" in the field. Reading this book made me feel all crazy inside. It's pretty interesting, and many of the problems described apply to most people I know! Maybe I just know a lot of neurotic people. In my opinion, the ideas are outdated and too general to be helpful in working with clients, but like I said, it is good to read older theories to better understand th...more
Excellent
Highly recommended for people that are interested in the structure of personality.
Heavy on the scholarship, but holy crap...if you have any kind of neurosis/neuroses, you'll be reading your life's story within Karen Horney's analysis of neuroses, in general. Her books made me understand and that's all you really need to do, in the end. She makes sense of our inner conflicts, great and small. This won't solve the problem, but it will shine a light on it, and that has made all the difference.
This book is really beautifully written.
I didn't study psychology at University, but I could grasp all the themes discussed here. Obviously I had to read some passages more than once (and I will definetely read the entire book again), but I found the whole theory illuminating.
You will ask yourself a lot of questions, as you read the book and you will also fine some interesting answers.
I didn't study psychology at University, but I could grasp all the themes discussed here. Obviously I had to read some passages more than once (and I will definetely read the entire book again), but I found the whole theory illuminating.
You will ask yourself a lot of questions, as you read the book and you will also fine some interesting answers.
Outdated, but thought-provoking ideas.
Mar 05, 2008
Michelle Fields
is currently reading it
She's freaking brilliant
May 19, 2013
Rodrigo
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Karen Horney was a German psychoanalyst. Her theories questioned some traditional Freudian views, particularly his theory of sexuality, as well as the instinct orientation of psychoanalysis and its genetic psychology. As such, she is often classified as Neo-Freudian.
More about Karen Horney...
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