Final answer:
Karen Horney's theories on personality involve three major adjustment techniques: moving toward, against, or away from people, which are developed in response to childhood anxiety. These styles, if used rigidly, can lead to neurosis and alienation. Understanding these techniques alongside theories like Jung's extroversion and introversion helps in recognizing how past experiences shape current personality and coping strategies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Karen Horney's theories contribute significantly to the understanding of personality through her identification of three major adjustment techniques: moving toward people, moving against people, and moving away from people. These techniques are ways in which individuals cope with the anxiety that results from needs not being met during childhood, such as loneliness or isolation. If these coping styles become rigid and compulsive, they can lead to neurotic behaviors and a person's alienation from others.
One's personality development can be influenced by various factors, including early childhood experiences. Karen Horney and other neo-Freudians like Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, and Erik Erikson have expanded on Freud's work to examine the intricate relationship between our internal drives and our environment.
According to Horney, the adjustment technique employed frequently by an individual can hint at their past and the strategies they've developed to combat anxiety. Incorporating trait theory, Jung's extroversion and introversion, and other personality dimensions, this multifaceted approach establishes a more detailed understanding of personality, especially in how people interact with others and manage social stressors.