science

Icarus complex

Icarus complex is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Icarus complex rather than just read about it. In short: The Icarus complex is a term in psychoanalysis and personality theory first used by Henry A. Murray to describe a particular type of overambitious character.

Key takeaways

Icarus complex belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Icarus complex to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Icarus complex from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Icarus complex is a term in psychoanalysis and personality theory first used by Henry A. Murray to describe a particular type of overambitious character. Psychosynthesis has applied it to those in whom spiritual ambition exceeds their personality limits, leading to a backlash.

Etymology Icarus was a Greek mythological figure who tried to escape imprisonment in Crete with his father Daedalus, using wings Daedalus crafted out of feathers and wax. Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun or too low to the sea. Overwhelmed with the excitement of flying, Icarus flew much too high, and as a result the wax melted and his feathers fell off. Down Icarus plunged into the sea, and indeed into death as well. The story of Icarus is often used to signify the dangers of over-ambition.

Characteristics It is seen in a personality type that contains many or all of the following attributes:

cynosural narcissism (attention seeking or admiration seeking narcissistic behaviors) ascensionism (the notion that the future is not dictated by the past or present, and no destination or goal is unreachable) combined with an anticipation of falling (a foreboding sense of a future "crash and burn") Cathexis of fire (an emotional drawing towards, or fascination with, fire) possible enuresis (bedwetting) or incontinence in childhood, linked to an abundance of water imagery. Ancillary consequences of this personality complex are:

a craving for immortality (reascension) a conception of woman as an object to be used for narcissistic gains (sex as narcissistic supply) Oedipal defiance. Perpetual adolescence.

Criticism Doubt has been expressed as to the therapeutic value of the diagnosis of Icarus complex.

See also Complex (psychology) Confidence Dunning–Kruger effect Grandiose delusions Haughtiness Hubris Narcissism Overconfidence effect Self-serving bias Vanity Napoleon complex

References

Further reading Daniel Ogilivie, 'The Icarus Complex' Psychology Today (Dec 1968) 31ff

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Icarus complex

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Icarus complex claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Icarus complex before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Icarus complex ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Icarus complex

In research: Icarus complex appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Icarus complex in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Icarus complex is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Complex (psychology), Words and phrases derived from Greek mythology, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Icarus complex outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Icarus complex in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Icarus complex means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Icarus complex out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Icarus complex in simple terms?

The Icarus complex is a term in psychoanalysis and personality theory first used by Henry A. Murray to describe a particular type of overambitious character.

Why does Icarus complex matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Icarus complex?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Icarus complex.