Chapter 4 Alfred Adler: Individual Psychology Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Chapter Outline • The life of Adler (1870-1937) • Inferiority feelings: The source of all human striving • Striving for superiority, or perfection • The style of life • Social interest Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Chapter Outline (continued) • Birth order • Research on Adler’s theory • Reflections on Adler’s theory Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Life of Adler • 1870-1937 • Childhood – Marked by illness, awareness of death, and intense jealousy of his older brother – Had feelings of inferiority – Compensated for weaknesses through persistence Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Life of Adler (continued) • Studied medicine – First went into private practice as an ophthalmologist but shifted to general medicine • Relationship with Freud – Discussed ideas – Was critical of Freud’s theory – Had interpersonal conflicts Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Inferiority Feelings • Normal condition of people • Source of human striving • Compensation: Motivation to overcome inferiority – To strive for higher levels of development • Begins in infancy – Due to complete dependency on adults Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Complexes Superiority complex Inferiority complex Develops when a person is unable to compensate for normal inferiority feelings Develops when a person overcompensates for normal inferiority feelings Characteristics - Have poor selfopinions, feel helpless, and find it difficult to cope with life demands Characteristics - Boastful, selfcentered, and tend to denigrate others Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Causes of Inferiority Complexes Organic inferiority Spoiling or pampering Neglecting Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Striving for Superiority • Urge toward perfection or completion that motivates each person – Innate goal, which is future oriented • Fictional finalism: Imagined or potential fictional goals – Goals guide behavior toward a complete state of being Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Research on Social Influences Neglected children Tend to develop: Pampered children Tend to: – Depression – Anxiety – Have low self-esteem – Lack empathy for others Social interest People who score high tend to: – Score low on depression, anxiety, and hostility – Become happy and agreeable Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Style of Life • Unique character structure or pattern of behaviors – Expression of striving is different and unique for every person • Influenced by social interactions • Creative power of self: Ability to create an appropriate style of life Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Style of Life (continued) Dominant • Ruling attitude with little social awareness Avoiding • Ignores problems Getting • Dependent Socially useful • Cooperative Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Four Basic Styles of Life • • • • Not prepared to cope with problems of everyday life Unable to cooperate with other people Clash between style of life and real world results in abnormal behavior – manifested in neuroses and psychoses Lack what Adlers calls SOCIAL INTEREST Dominant type Getting type •Extreme: Attacking others, delinquents, sadists, sociopaths •Less extreme: Believe they are hurting others by attacking themselves, - alcoholics. Drug addicts, suicides •Expects to receive from other people and so becomes dependent on them •Sensitive •Put a shell around themselves •Prone to phobias, anxieties, obsessions and compulsions, general anxiety, dissociation, etc. Avoiding type Socially useful type •Makes no attempt to face life’s problems – in this way avoids possibility of failure •Have such low energy - they recoil within themselves to conserve it •Extreme: complete withdrawal • Cooperates with others • Acts in accordance with others needs • Able to cope within well developed social interest Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Social Interest • Innate potential to cooperate with other people to achieve goals • The mother either develops or hinders social interest Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Birth Order • Sequence of sibling births is a major social influence – Shapes style of life • Birth order situations – First-born child – Second-born child – Youngest child – Only child Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. First-Born Child • Focus of attention – Followed by dethronement and battle to regain supremacy • Characteristics – Intellectually mature – Organized, authoritarian, and conscientious – Insecure and hostile Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Second-Born Child • Views older sibling as pacesetter • Competition spurs language and motor development • Characteristics – Optimistic, competitive, and ambitious • May turn to be an underachiever Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Youngest Child • Pet of the family • Develops at a fast pace to surpass others • Characteristics • High achievers • May become dependent and helpless, if pampered Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Only Child • Focus of attention • Spends more time with adults • Characteristics – Matures early – Disappointment follows, when not the center of attention Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Research on Birth Order First-borns Tend to be: – Intelligent & hardworking – Low depression & anxiety – High self-esteem Second-borns Tend to be: – Influenced by older siblings – Take risks Only-borns Tend to be: – High intelligence – Industrious Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Questions About 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 • • • • • Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Reflections on Adler’s Theory • Contributions – Influenced theorists in multiple areas of psychology • Gave a lead to Neo-Freudian ego psychologists – Disputed Freud’s views on women • Believed in women equality Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Reflections on Adler’s Theory (continued) • Criticisms – Oversimplified – Inconsistent and unsystematic • Due to gaps and unanswered questions – Disagreement on Adler’s position on determinism and free will – Lack of public recognition Copyright ©2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
