Alfred Adler (neofreudian)
Alfred Adler
developed approach of individual psyc
contributions to understanding of personality
notion of striving for superiority
role of parental influence on personality development
effects of birth order
Life of Adler
Childhood
marked by illness, awareness of death, intense jealousy of older & younger brothers
feelings of inferiority
compensated for weakness through persistence
striving for superiority
single motivating force that can subsume all other motives
all individs life begins w/ feelings of inferiority
all individ actions aims to establish sense of superiority over lifes obstacles
excessive feelings of inferiority lead to inferiority complex
social interest combined w/ superiority striving indicates mental health of a person
urge toward perfection or completion that motivates each person
innate goal is future oriented
fictional finalism
fictional finalism
imagined or potential fictional goals (ppl more influenced by future goals than past events)
goals guide behavior toward a complete state of being
these fictions are determinants of lifestyle (goal is to help ppl/make society better → that is good)
mean world vs good world
→determine how you will act/behave towards others
striving is the essence of being human
lifestyle is the personality structure
psychological processes that we need to reach goal
established very young (childhood experiences)
ppl use diff means to reach same goal)
social interest
ppls innate ability to socialize
crucial to adjustment
striving process
based on unique feeling of inferiority that develops early in life
maladjustment
feeling too inferior
social interest not sufficiently developed
striving for goals to make u feel better than everyone
at odds w/ being social
→nothing wrong w/ superiority, just reasons for wanting/achieving goal
→SUBJECTIVE
feelings of inferiority
are motivational
drive to accomplish
healthy
need to succeed
overwhelmed by …
inferiority complex
neurosis
inferiority complex
develops when a person is unable to compensate for normal inferiority feelings
characteristics: poor self opinions, feel helpless, find difficult to cope w/ life demands
superiority complex
develops when a person overcompensates for normal inferiority feelings
characteristics: boastful, self centered, tend to belittle others
parental influence on personality development
parental behaviors that lead to problems in childs life
pampering
neglect
pampering
parental behavior that lead to problems
robs child of independence & adds to feelings of inferiority
neglect
parental behaviors that lead to problems
children who receive little attention from parents
grow cold & suspicious
incapable of warm personal relationships
causes of inferiority complexes
organic inferiority= someone born w/ some kind of disability
spoiling/pampering
neglecting
organic inferiority
someone born w/ some kind of disability
style of life
unique character structure or pattern of behavior
expression of striving is diff & unique for every person
influenced by social interactions
mistaken lifestyles (ruling dominant, getting leaning, avoiding, socially useful)
Ruling dominant type
mistaken lifestyles
attacking
getting leaning type
mistaken lifestyles
dependent
always expecting from others
avoiding type
mistaken lifestyles
ignores problems
avoiding ppl/situations
Socially useful type
mistaken lifestyles
cooperative
where faulty lifestyles come from
physical inferiority
compensation, overcompensation, inferiority complex, superiority complex
spoiling & pampering
up to others to satisfy every need
neglect
child feels worthless & angry, looks at others w/ distrust
Safeguarding strategies
similar to freuds defense mechanisms
excuses
aggression (3 forms):
depreciation= depreciating some1 else to make yourself feel better
idealization= unrealistic high standards to judge ppl
solitude= treating others as if they are incapable of caring for themselves
accusation= accusing ppl of stuff
blaming others for shortcomings
self accusation
distancing
moving backwards
creating onstacles
no lose situations
it was hard anyways
i was sick
depreciation
safeguarding strategy, aggression
depreciating some1 else to make self feel better
idealization
safeguarding strategies
unrealistic high standards to judge ppl
solicitude
safeguarding strategies
treating others as if they are incapable of caring for themselves
firstborn child
subject to excessive attention from parents
arrival of 2nd child ends pampering
strong perception of inferiority
among 1stborn we often find problem children, neurotics, criminals, drunkards, perverts
middle-born child
develop strong superiority striving
highest achievers
trying to catch up w/ older siblings
last-born child
pampered throughout childhood
vulnerable to strong inferiority feelings