ALFRED ADLER;
INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY
“The goal of the human soul is conquest, perfection,
security, superiority. Every child is faced with so many
obstacles in life that no child ever grows up without striving
for some form of significance.”
—ALFRED ADLER
INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY
Alfred Adler fashioned an image of human nature that did not depict people as
victimized by instincts and conflict and doomed by biological forces and childhood
experiences.
Named “Individual psychology” because it focused on the uniqueness of each person.
Our personalities are shaped by our unique social environments and interactions, not
by our efforts to satisfy biological needs.
Adler minimized the role of sex in his system.
To Adler, the conscious, not the unconscious, was at the core of personality.
ALFRED ADLER 1870-1937
Born: February 7, 1870 in Vienna
Second of six children
Suffered from rickets and nearly died of
pneumonia at age 5
Known for his efforts at outdoing his older brother
Favored by Father – no oedipal need
Self esteem & social acceptance
Received a medical degree in 1895
Married in 1897
Eventually had four children and two of them
became psychiatrists and continued Adler’s work
BIOGRAPHY
In the mid 1920s he began lecturing in the United States.
He ignored the warning of his friends to slow down and on May 28, 1937, while taking a walk before a
scheduled lecture in Aberdeen, Scotland, Adler collapsed and died of heart failure.
In 1902 joined Freud’s Wednesday evening meetings
Freud and Adler parted company after 8 to 10 years when Freud felt that Adler had deserted him.
Adler resigned as the president of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society in 1911 and founded the Society
for Individual Psychology in 1912.
Adler is not deterministic like Freud. He is neither a pessimist, not telling us that the past determines
our future. His emphasis is on people’s ability and motivation to self actualize.
In 1926: His most important book “Understanding Human Nature” was published.
THEORETICAL VIEW
Adler abandoned Freud’s basic theories because he believed Freud was excessively
narrow in his stress on biological and instinctual determination.
According to Adler, humans are motivated primarily by social relatedness and striving
for superiority rather than by sexual urges.
Believed that people are largely responsible for who they are.
Present behavior is shaped by people’s view of the future
Behavior is purposeful and goal-directed. Perfection, not pleasure, was the goal of life
for Adler
Psychologically healthy people are usually aware of what they are doing and why they
are doing it. Consciousness; more than unconsciousness, is the focus of therapy
INTRODUCTION TO ADLERIAN THEORY
1. The one dynamic force behind people’s behavior is the striving for success or
superiority.
2. People’s subjective perceptions shape their behavior and personality.
3. Personality is unified and self-consistent.
4. The value of all human activity must be seen from the viewpoint of social interest.
5. The self-consistent personality structure develops into a person’s style of life.
6. Style of life is molded by people’s creative power.
ADLER’S VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE
Adler considered individuals to be creative, responsible self determined and unique.
Adler believed that individuals construct their own reality based on their perception
of the world (phenomenology).
Stressed that each person should be viewed as an individual from a holistic
perspective as opposed to other theories which described conflicting divisions of
personality.
Human behavior is goal oriented (Teleological). People move towards self selected
goals in life. Understanding the causes of behavior is not as important as
understanding the goal to which a person is directed. The Adlerian view is that
everyone is born with a desire to belong.
Believed that all behavior is designed to overcome feelings of inferiority and to move
towards feelings of superiority.
INFERIORITY FEELINGS AND PERSONALITY
“To be a human being means to feel oneself inferior”.
Because this condition is common to all of us, then, it is
not a sign of weakness or abnormality.
Feelings of inferiority are a natural part of personality
development. They start in childhood when we compare
ourselves to adults and continue into adulthood when we
discover limitations to our abilities.
The natural and healthy reaction to inferiority feelings is
Compensation: efforts to overcome real or imagined
inferiority by developing one’s abilities.
COMPENSATION
A motivation to overcome inferiority, to
strive for higher levels of development.
People respond to psychological
inferiorities with compensation.
Some compensate by becoming good at
what they feel inferior about.
More compensate by becoming good at
something else, but otherwise retaining
their sense of inferiority.
And, some just never develop any self
esteem at all.
Healthy Vs Unhealthy Processes
Healthy Process:
Compensation Self -Improvement
Unhealthy Process:
Compensation Inferiority Complex
Overcompensation Trying to appear stronger by striving for power, putting other
people down, or showing off; hypersensitive about self-esteem.
INFERIORITY COMPLEX
A condition that develops when a person is
unable to compensate for normal inferiority
feelings
If people are overwhelmed by the forces of
inferiority -- whether it is their body hurting, the
people around them holding them in contempt, or
just the general difficulties of growing up -- they
develop an inferiority complex.
An inferiority complex is not just a little problem--it
is a neurosis, a psychological problem.
CAUSES OF INFERIORITY
Adler discussed 3 childhood handicaps contributing to inferior
feelings/complex and resultant lack of social interest.
ORGAN INFERIORITY
Adler’s study led him to
conclude that feelings of
psychological inferiority might
be due to a person’s physical
limitations.
PAMPERING
Many children are taught, by the actions of
others, that they can take without giving.
Their wishes are everyone else's
commands.
The pampered child fails in two ways:
First, they do not learn to do for themselves,
and discover later that they are truly inferior;
And secondly, they do not learn any other
way to deal with others than the giving of
commands.
NEGLECT
A child who is neglected or abused learns what the
pampered child learns, but learns it in a far more direct
manner:
They learn inferiority because they are told and shown
every day that they are of no value;
They learn selfishness because they are taught to trust
no one.
Other possible causes: lack of tenderness expressed,
excessive use of punishment, especially hitting,
excessive criticism of others, considerations of one
parent as superior to the other.
SUPERIORIT
Y COMPLEX
SUPERIORITY COMPLEX
A condition that develops when a person
overcompensates for normal inferiority
feelings.
People can respond to inferiority by
developing a superiority complex.
A superiority complex involves covering up
one’s inferiority by pretending to be superior.
Bullies, braggarts, and petty dictators
everywhere are the prime example.
STRIVING FOR SUPERIORITY, PERFECTION: THE ULTIMATE
GOAL
Striving for superiority is not an attempt to be better than everyone else, nor is
it an arrogant or domineering tendency or an inflated opinion of our abilities
and accomplishments. What Adler meant was a drive for perfection. The
word perfection is derived from a Latin word meaning to complete or to
finish. Thus, Adler suggested that we strive for superiority in an effort to
perfect ourselves, to make ourselves complete or whole.
This innate goal, the drive toward wholeness or completion, is oriented
towards the future.
FICTIONAL FINALISM
Adler believed that our goals are fictional or imagined ideals that cannot be tested
against reality. We live our lives around ideals such as the belief that all people are
created equal or that all people are basically good. (Adler’s life goal was to conquer
death; his way of striving for that goal was to become a physician).
These beliefs influence the ways we perceive and interact with other people. For
example, if we believe that behaving a certain way will bring us rewards in a heaven
or an afterlife, we will try to act according to that belief. Belief in the existence of an
afterlife is not based on objective reality, but it is real to the person who holds that
view.
We direct the course of our lives by many such fictions, but the most pervasive one is
the ideal of perfection. He suggested that the best formulation of this ideal developed
by human beings so far is the concept of God.
SOCIAL INTEREST AND A POSITIVE INVOLVEMENT IN THE
COMMUNITY ARE HALLMARKS OF A HEALTHY PERSONALITY.
All behavior occurs in a social context.
Adler believed that social interest was innate but that it needed to be
nurtured in a family where cooperation and trust were important values.
Social interest is the caring and concern for the welfare of others
that can serve to guide people's behavior throughout their lives. It is
a sense of being a part of society and taking responsibility to improve it.
DEVELOPING SOCIAL INTEREST
Communities are indispensable to human beings for protection and survival. The
individual must cooperate with and contribute to society to realize personal and
communal goals.
Through her behavior toward the child, a mother can either foster social interest or
thwart its development.
The mother must teach the child cooperation, companionship, and courage. Only if
children feel kinship with others can they act with courage in attempting to cope with
life’s demands.
Children (and later, adults) who look upon others with suspicion and hostility will
approach life with the same attitude.
STYLE OF LIFE
In striving for goals that have meaning to us, we develop a unique style of
life.
Individuals use their own patterns of beliefs, cognitive styles, and
behaviors as a way of expressing their style of life.
Often style of life or lifestyle is a means for overcoming feeling of
inferiority.
STYLE OF LIFE
Adler believed that the individual creates the style of life. We create our selves, our
personality, our character; these are all terms Adler used interchangeably with style of
life.
We are not passively shaped by childhood experiences. Those experiences are not as
important as our conscious attitude toward them.
Adler argued that neither heredity nor environment provides a complete explanation
for personality development. Instead, the way we interpret these influences forms the
basis for the creative construction of our attitude toward life
Although unclear on specifics, Adler insisted that our style of life is not determined
for us; we are free to choose and create it ourselves. Once created, however, the style
of life remains constant throughout life.
STYLES OF LIFE
Adler described several universal problems and grouped them in three categories:
1. Problems involving our behavior toward others
2. Problems of occupation
3. Problems of love
He proposed four basic styles of life for dealing with these problems:
1. The dominant type
2. The getting type
3. The avoiding type
4. The socially useful type
3 MISTAKEN STYLES OF LIFE (CHARACTERIZED BY LACK OF
SOCIAL INTEREST)
Ruling-dominant type - Seek to dominate: may be anti-social or high
achievers
Getting-leaning type - Dependent on others; may become depressed
Avoiding type - Isolated and possibly cold
These three types are not prepared to cope with the problems of everyday
life. They are unable to cooperate with other people, and the clash between
their style of life and the real world results in abnormal behavior, which is
manifested in neuroses and psychoses. They lack what Adler came to call
social interest
INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY
NEUROSIS: THE RULING TYPE
From childhood on, they are characterized by a tendency to be rather
aggressive and dominant over others.
The strength of their striving after personal power is so great that
they tend to push over anything or anybody who gets in their way.
The most energetic of them are bullies and sadists; somewhat less
energetic ones hurt others by hurting themselves, and include
alcoholics, drug addicts, and suicides.
INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY:
NEUROSIS => THE GETTING TYPE
They are sensitive people who have developed a shell around
themselves which protects them.
They have low energy levels and so become dependent.
When overwhelmed, they develop neurotic symptoms:
phobias, obsessions and compulsions, general anxiety,
hysteria, amnesias, and so on----depending on the specific
details of their lifestyle.
INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY:
NEUROSIS => THE AVOIDING TYPE:
These have the lowest levels of energy and only survive by
essentially avoiding life -- especially other people.
When pushed to the limits, they tend to become psychotic,
retreating finally into their own personal worlds.
HEALTHY STYLE OF LIFE – SOCIALLY USEFUL TYPE
Developed social interest and acts
in ways beneficial to others.
Confront problems and attempts to
solve them in a socially useful way.
The socially useful type cooperates
with others and acts in accordance
with their needs. Such persons cope
with problems within a well-
developed framework of social
interest (getting along with others).
FAMILY INFLUENCES ON PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT
Adler is credited as the first theorist to include the child's brothers and
sisters as an early influence on the child. The number and birth order, as
well as the personality characteristics of members of a family are
Important in determining an individuals lifestyle
The relationships with siblings & parents determine how a person finds a
place in the family and in the world.
First Born: Receive good deal of attention, dethroned by the
second born. Usually more responsible and intelligent.
Second Born: acts as though they are in a race
competitive/seek weakness in #1
BIRTH ORDER
AND SIBLING Middle Born: Other "middle" children will tend to be similar
RELATIONSHIPS to the second child, although each may focus on a different
"competitor.” feels squeezed out/poor me/problem child
5
PSYCHOLOGICAL
Last Born: Usually more pampered than others and remains
POSITIONS forever the “baby of the family”
Only Child: Share characteristics of an older child/high
achievers/hard to share with others
FUTURE GOALS VS PAST EVENTS
During childhood we develop fictional
goals.
Shock occurs when the fictional goal
meets reality.
An extreme reaction to this shock is
neurosis.
SAFEGUARDING STRATEGIES
Neurotics are self-centered and lack
social interest. They have low self-
esteem and protect the little they
have with safeguarding strategies.
Safeguarding strategies are defense
mechanisms to avoid the anxiety of
low self-esteem or the fear of
challenges.
1. Excuses and rationalizations:
self-erected barricades from success. “Yes, but…” and “If only …”
excuses protect from weak sense of worth.
2. Aggression:
Depreciation: undervaluing of others’ accomplishments, the
overvaluing of one’s own.
Accusation: blaming others for his/her shortcomings and seeking
revenge against them.
Self-accusation: self-reproach, self-destructive and self-defeating.
DISTANCING STRATEGIES : WITHDRAWAL
Neurotics often escape life’s problems by
distancing themselves from their
problems
Moving backward (somewhat like
regression)
Standing still
Hesitation (indecisiveness)
Using the exclusion tendency
(constructing Obstacles)
SOURCE OF PATHOLOGY
According to Adler pathology arises from frustrated efforts to gain superiority in a
socially constructive manner.
Emerge from family atmospheres of competition, distrust, neglect, dominance, abuse,
pampering, all of which discourages social interests.
The neurotic person lives in a world of Opposites and “black-white”. For him there is
a “total failure” or “ultimate success”. This is a mode of thinking that is maladjusted
because the world is made of “grey”.
How does the Neurotic escape from “self perfection”? He builds walls around
himself. Walls that are made up of a small group of friends family, etc. In this
enclosed environment he can behave like a tyrant.
The Counseling Process: Major Goals of Counseling
• Increasing clients’ social interest
• Helping clients overcome feelings of discouragement
• Reducing feelings of inferiority
• Modifying clients’ views and goals and changing their life
scripts
Changing faulty motivation
Assisting clients to become contributing members of society
CONTRIBUTIONS
Early Recollections
Social Interest Scale(SIS)
Birth order
Inferiority and superiority complex.
Major contributions include elementary education, consultation groups
with teachers, parent education groups, marriage and family therapy, and
group counseling.
LIMITATIONS
More research needed to support the
effectiveness of the theory.
Limited use for clients seeking immediate
solutions to their problems and unwilling to
explore childhood experiences, early
memories, and dreams.
THANK YOU!
