Alfred Adler

ALFRED ADLER & ADLERIAN INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY

Alfred W. Adler was an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school
of individual psychology. His emphasis on the importance of feelings of inferiority the inferiority
complexis recognized as an isolating element which plays a key role in personality development.
Alfred Adler considered human beings as an individual whole, therefore he called his psychology
"Individual Psychology"

In collaboration with Sigmund Freud and a small group of Freud's colleagues, Adler
was among the co-founders of the psychoanalytic movement as a core member of
the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society. He was the first major figure to break away from
psychoanalysis to form an independent school of psychotherapy and personality.
View of Human Nature
For Adler. Being unconscious is only a temporary unawareness.
He also argued that the people can create their own personalities and
lifestyle to achieve their highest goals.
Structure of Personality
Organ Inferiority
Feelings of Inferiority
Striving for Superiority
Style of Life
Fictional Finalism
Social Interest

Organ Inferiority
People are more vulnerable to disease in organs that are less developed or
inferior to other organs.
These inferior organs develop biological deficiencies because of stress from
the environment. These inhibit the person from functioning normally.
Feelings of Inferiority
All children start life with feelings of inferiority because they are completely
dependent on adults for survival. This feeling of being weak, inferior, and
impotent stimulates an intense desire to seek power, thereby overcoming the
feelings inferiority.
Adler did not consider feelings of inferiority bad. According to him, it is normal
among human beings and therefore not a sign of weakness or abnormality. In
fact, such feelings ate the primary motivating forces behind all personal
accomplishments.
Striving for Superiority
A fundamental fact of life, an innate need from the time of birth. It is master
motive that leads people to pursue a superior or perfect society.
Style of Life
Which an individual attempts to gain superiority.
Determines which aspects of life are focused on and how these give a person
individual identity
Determines what is perceived and ignored.
Specifies a persons future goals and how they are to be attained.
Unhealthy lifestyle is based on selfishness and is contrary to the views of
society.
Fictional Finalism
Fictional future goal which a person aspires for. Adler called this a Guiding
self ideal. This gave Adlers theory a strong teleological component,
although it did not ignore the past altogether.
Social Interest
The innate need of all human beings to live in harmony and friendship with
others and to aspire for the development of the perfect society.
Social interest can be developed through tasks:
1. Occupational tasks or constructive work can be a means for a person to hep
advance society.
2. Societal tasks require cooperation with fellow humans.
3. Love and marriage tasks help to perpetuate society.
Stages of Development
Adler did not propose stages of development; instead emphasized the
importance of family atmosphere and the family constellation.
The latter refers to ones position within the family in terms of birth order:
Older children

 Younger children
Middle children