Alfred Adler and Erik Erikson: Theories of Self and Development

Alfred Adler

Austrian psychiatrist, founder of Individual Psychology.

Inferiority Complex

Feelings of inadequacy driving behavior and personality.

Social Interest

Desire for community and social involvement.

Striving for Superiority

Main force behind human behavior and motivation.

Style of Life

Individual's unique way of pursuing goals.

Creative Power

Individual's ability to shape personal goals.

Fictional Final Goal

Imagined endpoint compensating for feelings of inferiority.

Healthy Goals

Conscious objectives benefiting society and self.

Unhealthy Goals

Unconscious objectives stemming from neglect or pampering.

Subjective Perceptions

Behavior shaped by personal interpretations of reality.

Masculine Protest

Initial concept of will to power, later abandoned.

Striving for Success

Healthy motivation focused on collective progress.

Striving for Personal Superiority

Unhealthy drive for dominance over others.

Birth Order Influence

Impact of sibling order on personality development.

Goal-Driven Behavior

Human actions motivated by personal aspirations.

Aggression Rejection

Adler's later dismissal of aggression as main drive.

Personal Development

Growth through establishing life goals from birth.

Pneumonia Survival

Adler nearly died from pneumonia at age 5.

Academic Challenges

Faced difficulties but earned medical degree in 1895.

Freud's Influence

Joined Freud's society but disagreed with his theories.

Motivation Definition

Drive for success shaped by personal and social factors.

Self-Consistent Personality

Unified personality structure reflecting individual values.

Teleology

Behavior driven by future goals and purposes.

Causality

Behavior shaped by past experiences.

Physical Inferiorities Compensation

Overcoming feelings of weakness through beliefs.

Healthy Compensation

Improving through growth and societal contribution.

Overcompensation

Aggressive behavior or avoidance of challenges.

Demosthenes

Great orator despite speech impediment.

Beethoven

Legendary composer despite hearing loss.

Adler

Sickly childhood led to becoming a doctor.

Unity of Personality

Consistent personality despite seemingly erratic behavior.

Main Goal

Directs thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Organ Dialect

Body expresses inner goals symbolically.

Arthritis Example

Avoiding work to gain sympathy unconsciously.

Bedwetting Example

Resistance to parental control expressed physically.

Conscious Mind

Helps achieve success through clear thoughts.

Unconscious Mind

Part of a goal not fully understood.

Social Interest

Sense of belonging and cooperation with humanity.

Gemeinschaftsgefühl

Foundation of psychological health and community.

Origins of Social Interest

Develops through mother-child bond in infancy.

Role of Mother

Fosters cooperation and genuine care.

Role of Father

Balances warmth with discipline.

Importance of Social Interest

Measure of psychological health and maturity.

Styles of Life

Unique way of living, developed in childhood.

Socially Useful Life Style

Contributes to society through cooperation and courage.

Three Major Life Challenges

Neighborly love, sexual love, and occupation.

Ruling Dominant Type

Assertive, controlling, seeks power over others.

Getting/Leaning Type

Dependent on others for support and validation.

Avoiding Type

Withdraws from challenges, uses procrastination.

Socially Useful Type

Well-adjusted, balances personal goals with social interest.

Creative Power

Freedom to shape one's own life and development.

Low Doorway Analogy

Represents adapting to challenges versus refusing change.

Abnormal Development

Maladjustment arises from lack of social interest.

Unrealistic Goals

Aim too high to compensate for insecurities.

Living in Their Own World

Creates a personal reality misaligned with others.

Rigid Lifestyle

Refusal to adapt or change in behavior.

Exaggerated Physical Deficiencies

Interpretation of conditions influences psychological outcomes.

Pampered Style of Life

Overprotective parenting leads to dependency and neurosis.

Neglected Style of Life

Feel unloved, leading to insecurity and distrust.

Safeguarding Tendencies

Conscious behaviors to protect fragile self-esteem.

Excuses

Justifications for inaction to maintain self-esteem.

'Yes, but' Excuse

Agrees but provides reasons for inaction.

'If only' Excuse

Blames external factors for personal shortcomings.

Social Interest

Ability to connect and contribute to others.

Psychological Problems

Arise from maladjustment and lack of social interest.

Neurotic Individuals

Struggle with reality, often resistant to change.

Emotional Instability

Pampered individuals are overly sensitive and anxious.

Isolation in Childhood

Neglected children feel unloved and struggle socially.

Personal Development Responsibility

Individuals are responsible for their own growth.

Aggression

Behavior to protect self-esteem through dominance.

Depreciation

Undermining others to appear superior.

Accusation

Blaming others to avoid personal accountability.

Self-Accusation

Harming oneself to manipulate others emotionally.

Withdrawal

Avoiding challenges to escape difficulties.

Moving Backward

Reverting to earlier life stages for security.

Standing Still

Avoiding action to prevent failure.

Hesitating

Delaying decisions to avoid potential failure.

Constructing Obstacles

Creating excuses to delay actions.

Masculine Protest

Cultural construct of male dominance, not biological.

Cultural Conditioning

Social teachings shaping gender behaviors and roles.

Women's Reactions

Responses to societal expectations of femininity.

Family Constellation

Influence of birth order on personality development.

Firstborns

Feel powerful but anxious; experience dethronement.

Secondborns

Cooperative, competitive, but socially interested.

Youngest Children

Often pampered, leading to dependence and ambition.

Only Children

Compete with parents, developing superiority complex.

Early Recollections

Childhood memories reflecting individual life interpretation.

Dethronement

Loss of status when a younger sibling arrives.

Inflated Sense of Superiority

Overestimation of one's abilities compared to others.

Social Interest

Concern for the welfare of others.

Therapeutic Exploration

Analyzing family dynamics to understand worldview.

Personality Development

Formation of traits influenced by early experiences.

Anxiety and Memory

Highly anxious people recall fearful experiences.

Self-Confidence and Memory

Self-confident individuals remember positive interactions.

Purpose of Dreams

Dreams reveal insights into personal problems.

Dreams and Self-Deception

Dreams can disguise true feelings or fears.

Example of Dream Interpretation

Imprisonment dream reflects resistance to marriage.

Unrealistic Goals in Dreams

Unrealistic goals exaggerate power or success in dreams.

Psychological Issues

Stem from lack of courage and weak social interest.

Therapy Goals

Increase courage, self-esteem, and social interest.