Borsuk O.
Dragomanov National Pedagogical University
Institute of Philosophical Education and Scince
Scientific supervisor – Pet’ko L.,
Ph.D., Associate Professor,
Dragomanov National Pedagogical University, Kyiv
Neo-Freudianism and psychology OF personality
Philosophy,
psychiatry and psychology are tightly interrelated. Within a long period,
psychology remained a section of philosophy appearing under the name of mental
philosophy. Karl Jaspers emphasizes that philosophy can play an important role
in methodology selection when we deal with specific psychopathological
researches [12].
Sigmund Freud`s
doctrine with it’s complex of highly controversial hypotheses, ideas and
theories attracted a large number of followers. According to G.Volynka, Freud
when treating mental illnesses and explaining the role of unconscious in human
life underscored that his theories had a scientific core, although initially
they had nothing to do with philosophical point of view on human being [2].
However, psychopathology appears to be one of the most significant sources in
understanding psychology [14].
Freud`s concepts
went beyond psychiatry. Addressing the problems of unconscious is the way out
from the philosophical deadlock caused the narrowness of positivism and
irrationalism [2]. Psychoanalysis emerged in 1895 as a project of scientific
psychology. It is based on objective observation and analysis of specific
displays of inner life with the purpose of presenting a complete picture of the
inner spiritual life. Freud defined three parts of the psychic apparatus. They
are id, ego and super-ego. Three constructs interaction causes human behavior.
In addition, psychoanalysis explains the origin of culture. Early in its
rudimentary stage, it was subjected to severe criticism by it’s followers who
then created a Neo-Freudianism [1].
The aim of this work
is to investigate theoretical material accumulated up until now and to analyze
literary works on the subject.
Neo-Freudianism
emerged in the period of non-classical philosophy, even though many historians
ignore this period completely. V.Vasiljev relates Neo-Freudianism to
psychoanalysis [1]. However, S.Orlov maintains that Neo-Freudianism and
psychoanalysis are not the same [3].
Neo-Freudians
agreed upon the Freud`s concepts of the importance of early childhood and the
unconscious mind, but rejected a large number of other concepts.
For example, they
disagree with Freud`s statement that the nature of id is purely biological.
Indeed, that unconscious construct of the psyche is managed not only by
biological motivation; it changes due to social environment as well. Actually,
sexual behavior of human being differs significantly from sexual behavior of
animals [3]. Moreover, society causes aggressive behavior, and unmotivated
aggression is rather inherent to humans than animals [8].
Neo-Freudians
rejected the idea of sexual urge as a primary motivator; instincts are not the
explanation of the entire human behavior. According to C.Jung, libido is a
psychical energy. There are other motivators, such as aggression, aspiration to
creativity, wealth, success, personal benefit and benefit to social group.
Neo-Freudians
refuted the statement that id and ego conflicted between each other all the time.
On the contrary, when the person is healthy, id, ego and super-ego harmonically
interrelate. Freud unreasonably considered personalities of his patients as a
pattern of personality in general while normal behavior he observed only in
himself. In this connection, Maslow said that Freud had represented merely the
psychology of illness. The task is to complete it with the psychology of health
[16]. Neo-Freudians succeeded here. They found out that internal conflicts are
not always destructive. Concerning their destructiveness, many factors should
be taken into consideration.
Neo-Freudians developed a number of new approaches to
the study of human mind. Alfred Adler`s theories have played a significant role
in a lot of areas and are used by scientists up to nowadays. Alfred Adler
decided to study medicine due to his health problems (he suffered rickets being
a child). He was not an excellent student of the Vienna University passing his
exams with the lowest acceptable grades. A.Adler started his career as an
ophthalmologist, turned his interests to general practice, and then became a
psychiatrist. In 1992 Freud invited him to be the member of his psychoanalytic
discussion group that met every Wednesday at Freud`s place. He was the first
psychiatrist to form his own school of thought and eventually left the Vienna
Psychoanalytic Society. He founded the Society of Individual Psychology in
1912, which stressed the importance of taking a broad and responsive view on
the human personality [7].
Adler`s Individual Psychology begins and ends with the
problem of inferiority and its compensation Inferiority is the basis for human
striving and success. People work towards overcoming inferiority. The sense of
inferiority is the basis for all problems of psychological maladjustment. When
the individual does not find a proper concrete goal of superiority, an
inferiority 'complex results.
The inferiority complex leads to a desire for escape
and this desire for escape is expressed in a superiority complex, which is a
goal on the useless and vain side of life offering the satisfaction of false
success. This is the dynamic mechanism of psychological life. More concretely,
the mistakes in the functioning of the psyche are more harmful at certain times
than at others. Style of life is crystallized in tendencies formed in early
period of life. Prototype is the style of life in childhood. It develops at the
age of five. The whole burden of the guidance of psychological life rests on
proper childhood guidance.
According to Adler, the principal aim should be the
cultivation of proper social interests in terms of which useful and healthy
goals can be crystallized. It is only by training children to fit in with the
social scheme that the universal sense of inferiority is harnessed properly and
is prevented from engendering either inferiority or superiority complex. Social
adjustment is the obverse face of the problem of inferiority. It is because the
individual man is inferior and weak human beings live in society. Social interest
and social cooperation are therefore the salvation of the individual [4].
Adler says that the first discovery we make exploring
ourselves is our pursuit of goals. Human beings are all goal-oriented as we
move towards goals that attract us. Sometimes it happens that they are set
without our conscious realization. Being perceived as the best way for us to
survive they are our motivators. We are attracted by the future. There are
short, medium and long-term goals. The long term goal is the fictional final
goal. The will of human is not free when it is bound with the specific goals.
The way to absolute truth helps to avoid many mistakes. The human being cognize
only limited part of reality. Adler explains how the character develops,
describes it’s main features and gives advices on upbringing [5].
Freud developed his psychotherapeutic method only for
adults while Adler developed different methods intended for both children and
adults. Freud`s patient lies on the couch while the doctor sits behind his
back. Adler`s follower and his patient are facing each other. Adler insisted
that their chairs should not be different in size, height or form [7].
Ellenberger states that the style of Adler`s books is
worse than that of Freud`s. [7]. Collin Brett says that despite the fact that
Adler`s Individual Psychology sometimes speaks in generalizations, it stresses
the uniqueness of the individual and his or her creative abilities, and can
therefore give only the guidelines for our
thinking [6]. V.Vasiljev emphasizes that Adler adopted Nietzsche an
approach to explaining the personality from the point of view of desire for
self-assertion [1]. However, in his realistic grasp of the social nature of the
individual’s problem and it’s inexorable demonstration of the unity of health
and harmonious behavior, Adler resembles no one so much as the great Chinese
thinkers. If the occidental world is not too far gone to make use of his
service, he may well come to be known as the Confucius of the West [15].
Karen Horney is the only Neo-Freudian woman. She
developed feminine psychology, theory of neurotic needs and self-analysis. Her life and career are described in details in
Susan Tylor Hitchcock`s book. The author dealt with depression throughout her
life. Her fellow Berlin psychoanalysts seemed uninterested in her female-centered
ideas. Horney left her husband, took her three daughters and moved to the USA.
For Karen Horney, the American atmosphere was perfect: she was honored for her
close affiliation with Freud. She also found the freedom to express and develop
her own ideas [9].
Unlike Freud, Horney did not consider anxiety to be a
necessary component in human mind. On the contrary, she stresses that anxiety
appears because of lack of security feeling. Factors that destroy security
feeling cause basic anxiety. As a result, neurotic needs appear. Neurotic
process is a special form of human development. She describes ten neurotic
needs: the need for love and approval, the need for a leading partner, the need
for well-defined limits, the need for power, the need to exploit others, the
need to be recognized by others and to be admired by oneself, the need for
ambition, the need for self-sufficiency and independence, the need for
perfection. She emphasizes that these needs are common to everybody. However,
neurotic uses them inflexibly.
In Our Inner
Conflicts book Horney divided the
list of ten needs into three categories. Each category is a strategy in
reaching the security feeling: 1) moving toward others (accept the situation
and become dependent on others. The strategy might involve desire for
approval); 2) moving against others. Become aggressive. (This strategy might
entail a need for power or recognition); 3) moving away from others. Become
isolated. (This strategy might entail a need for self-sufficiency or privacy.
These strategies are in the stage of conflict). Healthy person can change
strategies according to circumstances. Neurotic uses one strategy all the time
and becomes not effective in moving towards life [10].
According to Horney, philosophical systems can be psychologically
analyzed. Schopenhauer`s strategy is moving away from others. Kierkegaard`s
strategy is moving towards others, and Nietzsche’s strategy is moving against
others. In fact, the strategy philosopher uses could be the explanation of the
inconsequence of his philosophical system that is an expression of his inner
conflicts.
In Self-Analysis she states that ego is weak. Everyone
has an ability for reflection. In addition, the distance between a professional
and an amateur is considered to be greater than it really is. A considerable
number of people can analyze themselves. Life is struggle and striving,
development and growth – and analysis is one of the means that can help in this
process [11].
Horney is a pioneer in feminine psychology. She rejected
Freud`s concept of penis envy and assumed that womb envy is even stronger than
penis envy. As far as men want to reduce women`s significance and women don`t.
Karen Horney was ahead of her times. Her ideas were
prophetic. Few psychiatrists today strictly follow the traditional methods of
Freudian psychoanalysis. His view was male-centered and inaccurate, especially
in its picture of the psychology of women. The ideas that Horney dared to voice
now seem commonplace, obvious, and second nature. In her day, though, those
ideas were radical and inventive. She dared to discover and to be herself [9].
Carl Gustav Jung played an important role in the
formation and development of Neo-Freudianism. He was not an exemplary family
man. Being married, he had relationships with other women. One of them was his
Russian patient Sabina Spielrein. Their story is told in the David Cronenberg`s
movie A Dangerous Method, shot in
2011.
Jung met with Freud in person in 1907 and spent 12
hours talking nonstop. At the beginning he was Freud`s protégé.
Later on, he parted with Freud and formed Analytical
Psychology. He introduced the concept of extraversion and introversion.
According to Jung, unconscious include collective and impersonal unconscious.
Archetype is a collectively inherited unconscious idea. He viewed archetype as
a psychical correlate of instinct. They are universal for all cultures. Human
behavior is based on archetypes. Their nature is unknown. Archetypes appeared
involuntarily in ancient mythology, dreams and phantasies. They can not be
analyzed. However, they can surely destroy rational logical thinking [13].
To sum up, Neo-Freudian ideas and theories enriched
philosophy, psychiatry and psychology. Based on the Freudianism,
Neo-Freudianism is up-to-date concept of human. Alfred Adler, Karen Horney and
Carl Jung are best-known Neo-Freudians. Without these thinkers, the science
about the world and the place of human in it would be certainly incomplete.
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