ALFRED

ADLER
Individual Psychology
 “The goal of the human soul is conquest, perfection, security,
superiority. Every child is face with so many obstacles in life that no
child grows up without striving with some form of significance.”
- Alfred Adler -
Alfred Adler
- Born on February 7,
1870 at Rudolfsheim,
near Vienna
- Died on May 28, 1937
in Aberdeen, Scotland
- Studied medicine at
University of Vienna
- Became president of
the Vienna
Psychoanalytical
Society in 1910
- Founded the Society
for Individual
Psychology in 1912
Adler’s personal traits of geniality,
optimism and warmth coupled an
intensely ambitious drive and
catapulted him to American
prominence as a psychological
expert.
ABRAHAM MASLOW
Individual Psychology

- Individual psychology is concerned

with the uniqueness of an individual and
the notion that the motives of human
thought and behavior are striving for
superiority and conquering feelings of
inferiority.

- Adler viewed individuals as a social

being.

- Personalities are shaped by unique

social environment /interactions
Differences between Freud
and Adler
S. Freud A. Adler
* Motivation by * Motivation by social
sex/aggression influences towards
superiority/success
* Little or no choice to * People are
shape personality responsible for own
personality
* Present behavior is * Present behavior is
due to past due to view of the
experiences future
* Emphasis on * Psychologically
unconscious healthy people are
components of aware of own actions
1. The one dynamic force behind
people’s behavior is the striving for
success or superiority.
2. People’s subjective perceptions shape
their behavior and personality.
3. Personality is unified and self-
consistent.
4. the value of all human activity must
be seen from the viewpoint of social
interest.
5. the self-consistent personality
structure develops into a person’s style
of life.
6. Style of life is molded by people’s
creative power.
 Inferiority Feelings: The Source
of Human Striving
• Inferiority feelings – the normal
condition of all people which is
the source of all human striving
but not a sign of weakness or
abnormality.
• Compensation – attempts to
overcome real or imagined
inferiorities which results to
individual growth.
• Inferiority Complex – a condition
that develops when a person is
unable to compensate for normal
inferiority feelings.
Childhood Sources of Inferiority
Complex
• Organic Inferiority –
defective parts or organs
of the body shape
personality through
efforts of compensating
for the defect or
weakness
• Spoiling – ‘pampering’;
spoiled children are the
center of attention at
home so they have little
social feeling and are
impatient with others
Childhood Sources of Inferiority
Complex

• Neglect – neglected, unwanted and

rejected children develop inferiority
complex due to lack of love and insecurity.
Striving for
Superiority/Perfection
• Striving for Superiority – the urge towards
perfection or completion that motivates
people.
• Adler primarily associated this notion with
masculine protest which pertains to the
power or dominance of men in the society.
• Superiority Complex – a
condition that develops
when a person
overcompensates for
normal inferiority
feelings
Subjective Perceptions
• Final Goal/Fictional finalism – the idea
that there is an imagined or potential
goal that guides our behavior.
• The final goal is a product of the
creative power.
• Teleology vs. Causality
• Physical Inferiority – developed due
to a belief system on how to
overcome physical deficiencies