individual psychology
optimistic view of people while resting heavily on notion of social interest, feeling of oneness with humankind
tenets of Adlerian Theory
striving for success or superiority
subjective perceptions
personality is unified and self-consistent
social interest
style of life
creative power
striving for success or superiority
(tenet of Alderian theory)
the one dynamic motivational force behind peopleās behaviour is striving for success or superiority
when we are born we pathetic, weak bodies which leads to underlying desire for success or superiority
unhealthy seek superiority
healthy seek success for all of humanity
final goal
abstract and unconscious
goal is fictional
product of creative power
if child is provided with sufficient love and security, they set healthy pro-social goals
creative power
peopleās ability to freely shape their behaviour and create their own personality
why do we strive for superiority or success
as a means of compensation for feelings of inferiority or weakness
physical deficiencies at birth ignite motivation towards completion and wholeness
two avenues of striving
socially nonproductive attempt to gain personal superiority
social interest, aimed at success or perfection for everyone
striving for personal superiority
little or no concern for others
goals are personal
motivated by exaggerated feelings of inferiority
inferiority complex
motivation directed inwards
striving for success
psychologically healthy people
motivated by social interest and success of humankind
concerned with goals beyond themselves
capable of helping others
cooperative
uncommon
goals are externally oriented
subjective perceptions
(tenet of Alderian theory)
peopleās subjective perceptions shape behaviour and personality
based on fictions
fiction
(subjective perceptions)
belief or expectation of the future that serves to motivate present behaviour
we live our lives more to fiction than reality
teleological drive
most important fiction is goal of superiority or sucess
scheme of apperception
our perceptions of the world fall into a groove
we interpret experiences before we accept them
interpretations fall in line with our fictional beliefs
physical inferiorities
(subjective perceptions)
we are all āblessedā with organ inferiorities; physical handicaps have no importance by themselves but become meaningful when they stimulate subjective feelings of inferiority, which serve as impetus towards perfection
fictions stem from physical inferiorities
compensation is healthy, overcompensation is not
organ inferiorities
things about self that we are limited by
unity and self-consistency of personality
(tent of Adlerian theory)
every person is unique
inconsistent behaviour does not exist, it is all expression of our personality
when behaviour appears inconsistent, therapist needed
usually unconscious attempt to subordinate others
organ dialect
expression of a personās underlying intentions or style of life through a diseased or dysfunctional bodily organ
expressions of ultimate goal
ex., leg cramps because canāt stand on two feet, need to be dependant on others
conscious and unconscious
unconscious as part of the goal that is neither clearly formulated nor completely understood by an individual
harmony between them, cooperating
social interest
(tenet of Adlerian theory)
community feeling or sense of feeling at one with all human beings
needed to be developed
strong social interest = strong empathy
teleological push towards social interest
origins of social interest
mother encourages mature social interest and cooperation
if she favours husband over child, child feels neglected
if she favours child, they are pampered
father models care to wife
offer equal care as mother
avoid being emotionally detached and too authoritarian
parental detachment creates goal of superiority
importance of social interest
the different routes of final goal after feelings of inferiority
basis of measuring psychological health
good, mature social interest means psychologically healthy
normal feelings of incompletion ā social interest ā success ā final goal clear
exaggerated feelings ā personal gain ā personal superiority ā final goal dim
style of life
a personās individuality that expresses itself in any circumstance or environment
the āflavourā of a personās life
contextualized in broader life
healthier styles more capable of adaptation and social interest
three general life tasks to solve
occupation: calling that fulfills our style
sexual love: relational connections
neighbourly love/other people: how do you relate to other people (cooperation vs. competition)
5 core attitudes of styles of life
to self
to difficulties: can we overcome them
to others: competitors vs. fellows
to the other sex
to life: goals we set for ourselves
4 key styles of life
ruling
dependent (getting)
avoidant
socially useful ( the only mature one)
ruling style of life
(unhealthy, rooted in egocentrism)
aggression, hyper dominant, lack of social interest or care for others
dependent style of life (getting)
(unhealthy, rooted in egocentrism)
parasitic, dependent, take more than they give, lack social interest
avoidant style of life
(unhealthy, rooted in egocentrism)
attempts to escape life issues by avoiding social interest, success, others
socially useful style of life
strong social interest and social activity, giving back
(the only healthy styles)
creative power
(tenet of Adlerian theory)
the inner freedom that empowers each of us to create our own style of life
style of life is molded by creative power
dynamic, implies movement
responsible for who we are and who we become
we decide whether to build a useful or useless style of life
the one factor underlying all types of maladjustments is ---------- ------ -----
underdeveloped social interest
neurotics tend toā¦. (abnormal development)
set goals too high
live in their own private world
have a rigid and dogmatic style of life
they are setting themselves up for failure
lack social interest
private meaning for neurotics
what is meaningful to them is totally closed off
external factors in maladjustment
exaggerated physical deficiencies
pampered style of life
neglected style of life
exaggerated physical deficiencies
(external factor in maladjustment)
born with physical deficiency or sustained through life, lead to over exaggerated feelings of inferiority
overcompensate
ignore others, lose social interest
physical deficiencies themselves insufficient to lead to maladjustment, must be accompanied by feelings of inferiority
pampered style of life
(external factor in maladjustment)
parents did everything for them
heart of neuroses
weak social interest
parasitic relationship with parents transfers to adult relations
unloved, treated as unable to solve own problems
dependent, discouraged, oversensitive, anxious, exaggerated emotions
neglected style of life
(external factor in maladjustment)
parents didnāt take active role, disengaged
less common, more severe
no social interest
donāt use creative power
distrustful, not cooperative
more suspicious and dangerous than pampered
inferiority complex
unable to cope with inferiority, overwhelmed
not always obvious
appears in extreme stressful situations
safeguarding tendencies, make excuses
contradictions in emotions
self-doubt
superiority complex
unique delusion where they strive for superiority and it permeates their being
extremes
lead to broader mental illness
most criminals have superiority complex
nobody is born evil, their personality has turned due to their superiority complex
safeguarding tendencies
protective mechanisms that maintain exaggerated feelings of superiority
ex., making excuses, aggression, withdrawal
ONLY used by neurotics
consciously employed
even if we donāt know why
excuses
safeguarding tendencies whereby the person, through use of reasonable sounding justifications, becomes convinced of the reality of self-erected obstacles
most common and obvious
āyes, butā
āif onlyā
protect self-esteem
make people believe that they are still in control
aggression (safeguarding)
safeguarding tendency designed to protect exaggerated feelings of personal superiority by striking out against other people
ex., depreciation, accusation, self-accusation
all about maintaining personal superiority
depreciation
(aggression safeguard)
tendency to undervalue other peopleās achievements and to overvalue oneās own
gossip, criticism
accusation
(aggression safeguard)
blame others for oneās failures and to seek revenge
self-accusation
(aggression safeguard)
self-torture and guilt spirals
devalue self to hurt those around them
self-harm, really to harm others
withdrawal
(aggression safeguard)
safeguarding oneās exaggerated sense of superiority by establishing a distance between oneself and oneās problems
moving backward
standing still
hesitating
constructing obstacles
moving backward
(aspect of withdrawal safegaurd)
similar to regression, revert to more secure moment in life
seek sympathy from others
pampered
may be conscious and directed at maintaining inflated goal of superiority
standing still
(aspect of withdrawal safeguard)
avoiding responsibilities by not doing anything
not as severe as moving backwards
ensures against failure
hestitating
(aspect of withdrawal safeguard)
more than procrastination, but self in position where it is too late to solve and then say āoh well:
fixate on the little things
compulsive behaviours to waste time
constructing obstacles
(aspect of withdrawal safeguard)
builds up tiny things for self to do instead of addressing main problem
still doing things that need to get done
less severe
best way to protect self esteem is toā¦.
give up safe guards, allow self to be helped by others
masculine protest
neurotic and erroneous belief held by some that men are superior to women
no psychological difference
male-dominated society not natural but product of historical development
girls learn to be passive, men powerful
Adler assumed men and women have the same needs and wants
difference between Adler and Freudās wives
Adlerās wife more politically and socially active, Freuds wife more traditional
reflected in their views of women
first borns
exaggerated feelings of power and superiority
anxious, overprotective
dethroning trauma
3+ more conscious, incorporated into life and more overt hostility to newborn; cooperative if they have developed social interest
<3 hostility less conscious, more resistant to change
responsible, motivated, conscientious, controlling, cautious, reliable, perfectionist, achiever, leader, bossy
middle borns
social interest, cooperation
if older sibling is hostile, become hyper competitive or discouraged
if successful in superiority, develop **revolutionary attitude (**beleif that authority can be challenged and overcome)
feel left out, peacemaker, social, adaptable, people-pleaser, rebellious, independent, go-between
last borns
pampered
higher risk neuroses
self-motivated, uncomplicated, manipulative, seek attention, self-centered, fun, social, charming, outgoing
only childs
have to become adults early
develop competitive and cooperative attitudes with parents
less cooperative
parasitic
seek approval, sensitive, leader, confident, center of attention, mature, conscientious, responsible, perfectionist
early recollections
technique to understand the pattern or theme that runs throughout a personās style of life
talk about memories from childhood
what shows up is reflection of who we are today
not causal
doesnāt matter if real or fantasy
we project current circumstances backwards
dreams
provide clues to solving future problems
disguised to deceive the dreamer and usually require interpretation by another person
dreamer typically does not wish to solve problem in productive manner
psychotherapy
enhance courage, lessen feelings of inferiority, and encourage social interest
address root causes of psychopathology
model cooperative operations
with child, help to understand their problems are social and they can turn to others for help
narcissism and self-esteem research
narcissism (maladaptive and unhealthy) differs from self-esteem (adaptive and healthy)
narcissist lacks social interest
need constant validation
if parent overvalues child, leads to feelings of superiority and narcissism
if just warm to child, leads to healthy self-esteem
Galtonās birth order research
found influence of birth order on intelligence, academic, career outcomes stronger than on personality
first borns higher educational and career outcomes
more cognitive stimulation from mother
later born children more socially interested and pro-social, adventurous, open to experience, innovative, reject status quo
early born children achievement-oriented, anxious, conformist
Hollandās six career types
realistic
investigative
artistic
social
enterprising
conventional
critique
causality for style of life
birth order research is inconsistent
heteronormative view of the family