fei75766_ch06_179-205.indd 186  02/06/20 11:32 AM
Part II    Psychodynamic Theories186
Neurotics mayalsotrytoprotect themselves bystriving forpower, prestige, 
orpossession. Power isadefense against therealorimagined hostility ofothers and
takes theform ofatendency todominate others; prestige isaprotection against 
humiliation andisexpressed asatendency tohumiliate others; possession acts
asabuffer against destitution andpoverty andmanifests itself asatendency to
deprive others.
Thefourth protective mechanism iswithdrawal. Neurotics frequently protect 
themselves against basic anxiety either bydeveloping anindependence from others 
orbybecoming emotionally detached from them. Bypsychologically withdrawing, 
neurotics feelthattheycannot behurtbyother people.
These protective devices didnotnecessarily indicate aneurosis, andHorney 
believed thatallpeople usethem tosome extent. They become unhealthy when peo-
plefeelcompelled torelyonthem andarethusunable toemploy avariety ofinter
personal strategies. Compulsion, then, isthesalient characteristic ofallneurotic 
drives.
Compulsive Drives
Neurotic individuals havethesame problems thataffect normal people, except neurot -
icsexperience them toagreater degree. Everyone usesthevarious protective devices 
toguard against therejection, hostility, andcompetitiveness ofothers. Butwhereas 
normal individuals areabletouseavariety ofdefensive maneuvers inasomewhat 
useful way,neurotics compulsively repeat thesame strategy inanessentially unpro -
ductive manner.
Horney (1942) insisted thatneurotics donotenjoy misery andsuffering. They 
cannot change theirbehavior byfreewillbutmust continually andcompulsively pro-
tectthemselves against basic anxiety. Thisdefensive strategy traps them inavicious 
circle inwhich theircompulsive needs toreduce basic anxiety leadtobehaviors that
perpetuate lowself-esteem, generalized hostility, inappropriate striving forpower, 
inflated feelings ofsuperiority, andpersistent apprehension, allofwhich result in
more basic anxiety.
Neurotic Needs
Atthebeginning ofthischapter, weasked youtoselect either “True” or“False” for
eachof10items thatmight suggest aneurotic need. Foreachitemexcept number 8,
a“True” response parallels oneofHorney’s neurotic needs. Fornumber 8,a“False” 
answer isconsistent withtheneurotic need forself-centeredness. Remember that
endorsing most orevenallofthese statements inthe“neurotic” direction isnoindica -
tionofemotional instability, butthese items maygiveyouabetter understanding of
what Horney meant byneurotic needs.
Horney tentatively identified 10categories ofneurotic needs thatcharacterize 
neurotics intheirattempts tocombat basic anxiety. These needs weremore specific 
thanthefourprotective devices discussed earlier, buttheydescribe thesame basic 
defensive strategies. The10categories ofneurotic needs overlapped oneanother, and
asingle person might employ more thanone.Each ofthefollowing neurotic needs 
relates insome wayoranother toother people.Final PDF to printer