The Personality Theory of Alfred Adler

Alfred Adler, born in 1870, was a major influence on the field of psychoanalysis and was one of the
original members of Sigmund Freud's historic Vienna Psychoanalytic Society. Though he is less wellknown than either Freud or the equally notable Carl Jung, Adler's theories of personality still provide
important historic context for the study of psychodynamic theory.
Because Adler was a weak and frequently ill toddler who struggled with feelings of inferiority when
comparing himself to his older, stronger brother, Adler developed a theory that all people are born
weak and thus resolve to overcome this weakness by being at one with others. His more specific
theories build on this understanding.
Striving for Success and Superiority
All people, Adler believed, are born with physical inadequacies, which makes young children feel
inferior to those around them. As a result, people commit very early in life to rid themselves of these
feelings of inferiority. There are, however, two ways to overcome those feelings: striving for success
and striving for superiority, the latter of which is less mentally healthy.
Psychologically healthy people, Adler wrote, will attempt to overcome feelings of inferiority by
instead striving for the success of mankind. Other people, by contrast, will strive for superiority
without regard for anybody else. The more healthy approach is more socially concerned while the
other shows more interest in socially nonproductive personal achievement.
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Although the desire to strive for success and superiority is partially innate, according to Adler, the
behavior must be developed by the social environment.
Subjective Perceptions as Motivation
A person's personality and the manner in which he or she strives for success or superiority is
motivated more by expectations of the future than by understandings of the past. Adler referred to
these important future expectations as "fictions" because they only represent the person's subjective
perception of reality. Instead of reality providing the impetus for action, Adler thought that the
perception of future reality is the inspiration for action.
The Self-Consistency of Personality
In history books, Adler is often cited as founding the school of "individual psychology." This term
refers to Adler's belief that every person is essentially unique and has a personality unlike anybody
else. For this to be the case, then, a person's character must remain consistent and directed toward
one very distinct goal or purpose.
Some may object to this notion on the grounds that a person can act unpredictably, which would

undermine the theory that all of a person's behavior is motivated by a single purpose. In response,
Adler explained that behavior that appears inconsistent is actually an unconscious attempt to
confuse other people.
The Importance of Social Interest in Personality
The term " social interest," as used by Adler, means a unity with humanity or a membership in a
social community. According to Adler, social interest is fundamental to human survival because
without it, parents would not care for their children and the human species could not sustain itself.
Social interest plays a crucial role in moderating the effects of genetic predispositions toward
certain personality traits. Adler understood that by the age of about five-years-old, a child's heredity
has gone as far as it can, and innate predispositions are moderated by the social environment. For
him, the extent of social interest in a child was the most important measure of his or her
psychological health.
Development of a Style of Life
To Adler, a person's "style of life" was basically his or her personality, including goals, self-concept,
and social interest. By about the age of five, Adler believed that the style of life is pretty well
established in a child. The most psychologically healthy people have a style of life that is complex
and flexible and express social interest through action.
Although style of life is influenced in large part by heredity and the environment, Adler believed that
each person has his or her ability to create a distinct personality. He referred to this personal
control over the development of style of life as "creative power." It is this creative power that
separates people as individuals with unique personalities.
Readers may also enjoy reading "A Brief Biography of Alfred Adler" to learn more about his place in
the history of psychology.
Resources:
Feist, J., & Feist, G. (2002). Theories of personality. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Williams, J. E. G., & Ettinger, R. H. (2004). Understanding psychology. Redding, CA: Horizon
Textbook Publishing.