Karen Horney

1885–1952 (age 67)

psychiatrist

Photograph of Karen Horney

Biography

Karen Horney was a German-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst whose groundbreaking theories fundamentally shaped modern psychology and psychoanalytic thought. Born in Germany in 1885, she developed innovative approaches to understanding human behavior and personality that challenged prevailing psychological theories of her time.

Horney's work emphasized the importance of cultural and social factors in psychological development, and she made significant contributions to feminist psychology by critiquing male-centered theories. She established the Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis and continued her influential work until her death in 1952. Her legacy remains vital to contemporary psychology, and she is recognized as one of the most important psychological theorists of the twentieth century.