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Alfred Adler: Individual Psychology - Coggle Diagram
Alfred Adler: Individual Psychology
Biography
age of 5 developed pneumonia; this life threatening experience motivated Adler to pursue medicine
received medical degree at University of Vienna
married and had four children
Development of Individual Psychology
Adler (1917, 1927) argued that the foremost human drive is not sexuality, but a striving for superiority.
He viewed such striving as a universal drive to adapt, improve oneself, and master life’s challenges.
He noted that young children understandably feel weak and helpless in comparison to more competent older children and adults.
These early inferiority feelings supposedly motivate individuals to acquire new skills and develop new talents.
Adler asserted that everyone has to work to overcome some feelings of inferiority by developing one’s abilities.
Inferiority Complex
every child experiences the feelings of inferiority as the result of being surrounded by stronger and more capable adults.
As the child grows he becomes obsessed by his original feelings of inferiority he experienced earlier and so he strives for power and recognition.
If the child failed to meet certain life challenges during his act of compensation then he will develop an inferiority complex
every child feels inferior but not every one develops an inferiority complex which only affects those who failed to compensate correctly.
Compensation and Inferiority
if you see some kind of extreme behavior then know that inferiority is the underlying drive.
Upon discovering that they lack something they try to achieve goals that make them feel superior
The Superman: people are only trying to compensate for their inner weaknesses. The situations they faced in the past made them feel helpless and inferior and that's why they are trying to compensate.
The Billionaire: most of them suffered from severe financial problems in their past which was the invisible driving force behind the wealth they've managed to collect
Inferiority Problem
parental pampering or parental neglect
personality disturbances by noting that an inferiority complex can distort the normal process of striving for superiority- some people engage in overcompensation in order to conceal, even from themselves, their feelings of inferiority.
people with an inferiority complex work to achieve status, gain power over others, and acquire the trappings of success (fancy clothes, impressive cars, or whatever seems important to them).
Comparison with Freud's theory of Psychoanalytic
Adler believed that early childhood experiences exert momentous influence over adult personality.
he focused on children’s social interactions rather than on their grappling with their sexuality.
the roots of personality disturbances typically lie in excessive parental neglect or pampering, which can lead to overcompensation/ underdeveloped social interest
Role of inferiority and superiority complex
positive motivating factor, as they strive to improve themselves in an effort to neutralize the negative feelings of inferiority.
thoughts are so overtaken by these feelings that they cannot function normally, are said to have an inferiority complex.
inevitable early feelings of inferiority. This results when a person overcompensates and places too much emphasis on striving for perfection.