Neo-Freudians: Adler, Erikson, Jung, and Horney

Introduction to Neo-Freudians

Neo-Freudians including Alfred Adler, Erik Erikson, Carl Jung, and Karen Horney generally maintained Freud's emphasis on childhood experiences but shifted the focus away from sexual drives toward social and cultural influences on personality.

Alfred Adler and Individual Psychology

Adler founded individual psychology, positing that feelings of inferiority drive human behavior as people seek superiority. He emphasized social tasks (work, friendship, love) and suggested that birth order influences personality development.

Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

Erikson introduced a lifespan theory of personality, arguing that development occurs across eight stages based on psychosocial conflicts rather than fixed early-childhood sexual stages.

Carl Jung’s Analytical Psychology

Jung developed analytical psychology, focusing on balancing conscious and unconscious thought. He introduced the concepts of the collective unconscious, universal archetypes, and the distinction between introversion and extroversion.

Karen Horney’s Psychoanalytic Revision

Horney moved away from Freudian views on gender, rejecting 'penis envy' and suggesting 'womb envy' instead. She characterized personality development in terms of coping styles—moving toward, against, or away from people—to manage basic anxiety.