Chapter 3

Success or superiority

Adler presents a more optimistic perspective, asserting that the primary motivation is the striving for ________

First Tenet

• Adler's initial premise suggests that individuals are born with small bodies, fostering feelings of inferiority.

• Consequently, they seek to overcome this inferiority to progress toward completion or their final goal.

• This striving force manifests in two routes: striving for superiority or striving for success.

• According to Adler, striving for success is a psychologically healthier choice than striving for superiority.

Striving for superiority

aim to be above others, often pulling down anyone who impedes their progress and leaning towards personal gain.

Striving for success

individuals employ social interest, viewing problems from a community feeling or perspective that cares about others.

Second Tenet

• emphasis on subjective perception distinguishes Adler from other neo-Freudians concerning personality theory.

• significance of individuals' subjective perceptions, as they play a pivotal role in shaping behavior and personality.

• These perceptions lack a concrete existence; instead, they are rooted in how individuals mentally construct their experiences. (Varies among individuals)

• "men are above women," "life is not fair," or "living life to the fullest."

Real/organic inferiority

• refers to real or biological inferiorities.

• For example, Gecca was born with one leg and will always carry that inferiority unless she finds a way to have an artificial leg that will let her walk and run normally.

Imagined/subjective inferiority

• This concept refers to the individual's subjective perception, where psychological comparisons with others lead to feelings of inferiority.

• For instance, despite both being intelligent, rich, and successful, Yeardley compares herself to her sister Ren and perceives herself as inferior.

Fictional Finalism

• Also known as fictionalism, subjective final goal, or guiding self-ideal, this concept lacks a factual basis yet significantly influences an individual's beliefs and guides their way of life.

• It aligns with the teleological aspect of personality.

• For example, the notion of "follow your dreams no matter what" encapsulates this, shaping an individual's actions and choices.

Third Tenet

• Freud conceptualizes the personality as consisting of three distinct components. In contrast, Adler challenges this notion, asserting that an individual is inherently unique and indivisible

• According to Adler, the idea of inconsistent behavior is invalid, as he posits that the entire person consistently strives toward a singular goal in a self-consistent manner.

Organ dialect

• involves the expression of inner psychic conflicts through a deficient body organ that cannot be articulated in words

• An illustrative example is Marlon who consistently teaches seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. This intense schedule leads to several days of experiencing headaches, serving as the organ's way of signaling that he is overworked and in need of slowing down and resting.

Conscious thoughts

• understood and helpful in striving for success.

• For instance, Jay's goal of becoming a medical doctor to serve the community drives him to study diligently.

• Together with unconscious, they are cooperating not distracting parts

Unconscious thoughts

• part of the goal that lack understanding and do not contribute in striving for success.

• An example of this is when James, deviating from his study schedule, spends numerous hours playing video games instead.

Fourth Tenet

• Adlerian theory introduces a significant concept, the integration of community feelings into the personality, highlighted by the term "social interest" derived from the German word gemeinschaftsgefühl.

• human activity must be viewed through the lens of social interest, emphasizing the importance of an individual's connection to their community.

• Lifestyle, in terms of community engagement, is categorized as either "useful" or "useless."

• Social interest can be traced back in mother-child relationship and further developed in father-child relationship indicating that parental relationships play a crucial role

Fifth tenet

• The concept of "style of life" encapsulates the essence of a person's existence, encompassing elements such as their goals, self-concept, feelings towards others, and attitudes towards the world, as outlined by Feist et al. (2018).

• According to Adler, this style of life is the outcome of the dynamic interplay between heredity, environment, and an individual's creative power.

• A person leading a healthy or "useful" life exhibits a complex, enriched, and evolving style of life, while an individual leading an unhealthy or "useless" life tends to display inflexibility and be monotonous in their actions (Bell, p.d.).

Five attitudes

1. Attitudes towards the self

2. Attitudes towards difficulties

3. Attitudes towards others

4. Attitude towards other sex

5. Attitude towards life

Sixth Tenet

• The final tenet of Adlerian theory marks a distinct departure from Sigmund Freud's theories, embodying Alfred Adler's unique perspective.

• Central to Adlerian theory is the concept of creative power, denoting the inherent freedom an individual possesses to craft their own style of life.

• This underscores Adler's belief in personal responsibility, asserting that every individual is accountable for their identity and behavior.

Only child

• Family situation:

  • birth is a miracle, parents have no previous experience, retains 200%attention from both parents, may become rival of one parent and can be over protected and spoiled

• Child’s Characteristics:

  • Likes being the center of adult attention, difficulty with sharing, prefers adult company and uses adult language

Oldest Child

• Family situation:

  • Dethroned by next child.Has to learn to share. Parent expectations are usually very high. Often given responsibility and expected to set an example

• Child Characteristics:

  • May become authoritarian or strict. Feels power is his right. Can become helpful if encouraged. May turn to father after birth of next Child

Second child

• Family situation:

  • He has a pacemaker. There is always someone ahead

• Child’s characteristics:

  • Is more competitive, wants to overtake older child. May become a rebel or try to outdo everyone. Competition can deteriorate into rivalry

Middle Child

• Family situation:

  • Is "sandwiched" in. May Feel squeezed out of position and significance

• Child characteristics:

  • May be even-tempered,

    "take it or leave it" attitude. May have trouble finding a place or become a fighter of injustice

Youngest Child

• Family situation:

  • Has many brothers and fathers, older children try to educate them, never dethroned.

• Child Characteristics:

  • Wants to be bigger than the others, always have big plans but never work out, can stay the “baby”.

Twin

• Family Situation:

  • One is usually stronger or more active than the other. Parents may see one as the older

• Child Characteristics:

  • Can have identity problems, stronger one may be the leader

Ghost Child

• Family Situation:

  • Child born after the death of the first child may have a ”ghost” in front of him. Mother may become overprotective

• Child Characteristics:

  • Child my exploit his mother’s over-concern for him, or may rebel and protest the feeling of being compared to an “idealized memory”

Adopted Child

• Family situation:

  • Parents may be so thankful to have a child that they spoil him, they may try to compensate for the lost of his biological parents

• Child Characteristics:

  • May become very spoiled and demanding, may resent or idealize the biological parents

Only boy among girls

• Family Situation:

  • Usually with women all the time if father was away

• Child Characteristics:

  • May try to prove that he is the man in the family or become effeminate

Only girl among boys

• Family situation:

  • Older brothers may act as protectors

• Child characteristics:

  • Can become very feminine or tomboy and outdo the brothers. May try to please the father

All boys

• Family situation:

  • If mother wanted a girl can be dressed as a girl

• Child characteristics:

  • Child may capitalize on assigned role or protest vigorously

All girls

• Family situation:

  • May be dressed as a boy

• Child characteristics:

  • Child may capitalize on assigned role or protest vigorously

Exaggerated Physical Deficiencies

The individual's subjective feelings of inferiority, often intensified by a defective body, lead them to overcompensate for their inadequacy, prioritizing the fear of defeat over the desire for success.

Pampered style of life

The individual is engaged in a parasitic relationship with someone who pampers them, believing they are entitled to everything and incapable of being independent or solving their own problems.

Neglected style of life

Individuals with underdeveloped social interests, stemming from a background of being unloved and unwanted during their upbringing, often exaggerate life's major challenges and display envy towards others for their success.

Safeguarding tendencies

Similar to Freud's defense mechanisms, this behavior involves individuals safeguarding their inflated self-esteem from public disgrace.

Excuses

• prevalent safeguarding tendencies in people are expressed as "yes but only."

• "If it weren't for my diarrhea, I would have passed the board exam."

Depreciation

• Under aggresion

• A behavior that involves undervaluing the achievements of others while exaggerating one's own

• Riza and Lucy are engaging in gossip, exaggerating the mistakes of their dean

Accusation

• Under aggression

• Blaming others for their failures and seeking revenge to humiliate them.

• "You're the reason we failed in our thesis. It should be you alone who failed.”

Self-accusation

• Under aggresion

• The individual is engaging in self-torture and guilt imposition.

• Jena harms herself whenever she cannot meet her father's expectations.

Moving backward

• Under withdrawal

• It involves returning to a more secure period of life, similar to regression.

• Jonathan watches anime whenever he feels stressed about his schoolwork.

Standing still

• Under withdrawal

• Avoiding action and responsibility, individuals protect themselves against failure or threats.

• "I choose not to engage in romantic love to avoid experiencing heartaches."

Hesitating

• Under withdrawal

• Occurs when people vacillate when faced with difficult challenges.

• "I was unable to submit my research; it's too late now."

Constructing obstacles

• Under withdrawal

• Individuals create challenges within their capabilities to overcome them; in the event of failure, they have a ready excuse.

• Marlon submitted a simple research to make it easier for him to ace the research presentation.