Adler

Definition (#f7aeae)

Important (#edcae9)

Extra (#fffe9d)

Inferiority/Superiority Complexes:

Normal condition of living, source of human striving.

Motivation to overcome inferiority.

Inferiority:

Develops when a person is unable to compensate for normal inferiority feelings.

Characteristics: Poor self esteem, helplessness, difficulty coping.

Causes:

  1. Organic inferiority: A real or imagined weakness in a specific bodily organ that can lead to feelings of inadequacy.

  2. Pampering

  3. Neglect

Superiority:

Develops when a person overcompensates for normal inferiority feelings.

Characteristics: Boastful, self-centered, tends to denigrate others.

Urge towards perfectionism or completion that motivates people.

Fictional Finalism: Imagined or potential fictional goals. Goals which guides behavior.

Style of Life:

  • Unique character structure or patterns of behavior.

  • Influenced by social interactions.

  • Creative power of self: Ability to create an appropriate style of life.

  • Types:

    • Dominant: Attacking.

    • Avoiding: Ignores problems.

    • Getting: Dependent.

    • Socially Useful: Cooperative.

Social Interest: Innate potential to cooperate with other people to achieve goals.

Sense of empathy to others.

Birth Order:

Sequence of birth is a major social influence and shapes style of life.

  1. First-Born Child:

    • Focus of attention; Followed by dethronement and battle to regain supremacy.

    • Tend to be intelligent, hardworking, low depression and anxiety and have high self-esteem.

    • Characteristics: Intellectually mature, organized, authoritative, insecure.

  2. Second-Born Child:

    • Views older sibling as pacesetter.

    • Competition spurs language and motor development.

    • Tend to take risks and are influenced by older sibling.

    • Characteristics: Optimistic, competitive, ambitious.

  3. Youngest Child:

    • Develops at a fast pace to surpass others.

    • Characteristics: High achiever, may become dependent if pampered.

  4. Only Child: 

    • Focus of attention.

    • Spends more time with adults.

    • Tend to be high intelligence and industrious.

    • Characteristics: Matures early, disappointment when not centre of attention.

Human Nature:

  • Free will.

  • Primary influence is nurture.

  • Focus is on past and present.

  • Emphasis is placed on uniqueness.

  • Humans use childhood experiences to create styles of life.

  • Optimistic.

Assessments:

  1. Techniques:

    1. Early Recollections:

      • Uses the earliest memories, real or fantasized.

      • Helps reveal primary interest of life.

    2. Dream Analysis: 

      • Involves feelings towards a current problem.

      • Interpretation requires knowledge about the person and style of life.

  2. Criticized personality tests, relied on intuition.

  3. Developed tests to measure concepts of social interest & style of life:

    • Social Interest Scale (SIS)

    • Social Interest Index (SII)

    • Basic Adlerian Scales for Interpersonal Success (BASIS-A)

  4. Researched social influence:

    • Neglected Children: Tend to develop depression & anxiety.

    • Pampered Children: Tend to have low esteem and lack empathy for others.

    • Social Interest: People who score high tend to score low on depression anxiety and hostility, become happy and agreeable.

Contributions:

  • Influenced theorists in multiple areas of psychology. 

  • Gave a lead to Neo-Freudians ego psychologists.

  • Disputed Freud’s view on women and believed in women equality.

Criticism:

  • Oversimplified.

  • Inconsistent and unsystematic due to gaps and unanswered questions.

  • Disagreement on Adler’s position on determinism and free will.

  • Lack of public recognition.