Basic hostility

Basic hostility is a psychological concept that psychoanalyst Karen Horney describes as aggression that a child develops as a result of “basic evil”. Basic evil is generally defined as “invariably the lack of genuine warmth and affection”. Basic evil covers a range of inappropriate parental behavior, including but not limited to lack of affection to physical and sexual abuse. Since this situation is often unavoidable, it causes children to have a higher level of basic anxiety.

Basic hostility is a psychological concept that psychoanalyst Karen Horney describes as aggression that a child develops as a result of “basic evil”. Basic evil is generally defined as “invariably the lack of genuine warmth and affection”. Basic evil covers a range of inappropriate parental behavior, including but not limited to lack of affection to physical and sexual abuse. Since this situation is often unavoidable, it causes children to have a higher level of basic anxiety. ==The pattern of basic hostility== The child wants to leave, but cannot. Although the child wants to avoid the abuse, their parents are perpetrating it. The child is dependent on their parents and therefore cannot move or back away. The child therefore redirects their feelings and expressions of hostility toward people they do not depend on for support. Basic Hostility is a strategy that a child uses that becomes fixed in their personality. It becomes a neurotic need, or neurosis. Neurosis is the psychic disturbance brought by fears and defense against these fears. Some children find that hostility towards their parents and others is effective. If hostility becomes a successful coping mechanism for the child, it will become a habitual response to conflicts. Most children will not use hostility as a coping mechanism and instead will struggle with basic anxiety. Basic anxiety suppresses basic hostility, children then become compliant with their parents. Horney also suggests there is a third coping mechanism which is withdrawing from their families. ==See also== Basic anxiety Disorganized attachment ==References== Personality Theories page on Karen Horney Women's Intellectual Contributions to the Study of Mind and Society: Karen Horney

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