Alfred Adler Individual Psychology

Alfred Adler Individual Psychology

1. Alfred Adler: Individual Psychology Chapter 4

2. Biography Born: February 7, 1870 Vienna, Austria Died: May 28, 1937 Aberdeen, Scotland Austrian psychiatrist Best Known For: Individual Psychology The concept of the inferiority complex President of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society, 1910

3. Adler’s early childhood was marked by illness, an awareness of death, and intense jealousy of his older brother He suffered from rickets which kept him from playing with other children. At age 3, his younger brother died. At 4, Adler himself almost died from pneumonia, then he decided to become a doctor. As an adult, Adler had no use for the Freudian concept of the Oedipus complex 3 The Life of Adler (1870–1937) Childhood and Adolescence

4. 4 Childhood and Adolescence Adler felt inferior to his brother and to all seemed healthier and more athletic. As a result, he resolved to work hard to overcome his feelings of inferiority and to compensate for his physical limitations . Adler emphasized the importance of the peer group and suggested that childhood relationships with siblings and with children outside the family were much more significant than Freud believed . the story of Adler’s childhood reads like a tragedy, but it is also a textbook example of his theory of overcoming childhood weakness and inferiority to shape one’s destiny.

5. Adulthood 5 He was an average student and was also very outgoing, popular and active After studying at University of Vienna, he specialized as an eye doctor, and late in neurology and psychiatry. He began his career as an ophthalmologist , but soon he switched to general practice His office was in a lower class part of Vienna, which was a combination of an amusement park and circus His clients included circus people and their unusual strengths and weaknesses led to his insights into organ inferiorities and compensation

6. In 1902, Adler received an invitation from Sigmund Freud to join an informal discussion group “ The Wednesday Society” met regularly at Wednesday evenings at freud’s home and was the beginning of Psychoanalytical movement, expanding over time to include many other members. A long-serving member of the group, Adler became Presideent of Voenna Psychoanalytical society eight years later (1910). He soon severed all connection with psychoanalysis and went on to develop his own approach to personality Relations with Freud 6

7. 7 Becoming a Celebrity in America Adler founded the society for individual psychology in 1912 after his break from Psychoanalytic movement. He served in the Austrian army during World War I (1914–1918) and later organized government sponsored child counseling clinics in Vienna. He travelled and lectured for a period of 25 years . Adler’s books and lectures brought him recognition on a national scale, and he became America’s first popular psychologist, a celebrity of the day. In 1937, while on an exhausting 56-lecture tour of Europe, Adler suffered a heart attack and died in Scotland.

8. Individual Psychology 8 Was founded by Adler in 1912 Focuses in uniqueness of each person Denies universal biological drives and goals. We should see person as a whole rather than a part.

9. Inferiority Feelings: The Source of All Human Striving Inferiority feelings The normal condition of all people; the source of all human striving. Adler believed that inferiority feelings are a constant motivating force in all behavior. “To be a human being means to feel oneself inferior,” Because this condition is common to all of us, then, it is not a sign of weakness or abnormality C ompensation A motivation to overcome inferiority, to strive for higher levels of development Throughout our lives, we are driven by the need to overcome this sense of inferiority and to strive for increasingly higher levels of development The process begins in infancy. 9

10. The Inferiority Complex Inability to overcome inferiority feelings: helpless, poor self opinion. 3 Causes of Inferiority Complexes Organic Inferiority Adler argued that defective parts or organs of the body shape personality through the person’s efforts to compensate for the defect or weakness.  for  example , when a child suffering from asthma becomes a top athlete in adult life. Neglecting Neglected, unwanted, and rejected children can develop an inferiority complex. Their infancy and childhood are characterized by a lack of love and security because their parents are indifferent or hostile As a result, these children develop feelings of worthlessness, or even anger, and view others with distrust 10 Spoiling Spoiling or pampering a child can also bring about an inferiority complex. for   example The first experience at school, where these children are no longer the focus of attention, comes as a shock for which they are unprepared

11. Striving for superiority Striving for superiority refers to the desire to be better, but also has the idea that we want to be better than others, rather than better in our own right Adler described his notion of striving for superiority as the fundamental fact of life . Adler suggested that we strive for superiority in an effort to perfect ourselves, to make ourselves complete or whole. Adler later asserted that striving for superiority can be unhealthy or neurotic. 11

12. The Style of Life Adler stated that the ultimate goal for each of us is superiority or perfection, but we try to attain that goal in many different ways. Each of us expresses the striving differently. We develop a unique pattern of characteristics, behaviors, and habits, which Adler called a distinctive character, or style of life. Basic styles of life include: Dominant – little self-awareness Getting - Expect to receive satisfactions from others, becomes dependent Avoiding - avoids life problems Socially useful- cooperates with others, shows social interests The style of life thus becomes the guiding framework for all of our later behavior 12

13. O ne individual may try to develop competence and superiority through intellectual skills Another may seek self protection by capitalizing on physical strengths S tyle of life act in part as a perceptual filters , influencing the way in which we view the world The Creative Power of the Self 13

14. Four Primary style of life Ruling type Getting type Avoiding type Social use type 14

15. 15 The Ruling Type : The ruling type: aggressive, dominating people who don't have much social interest or cultural perception These are BULLIES and SADIST

16. T he   getting type : dependent people who take rather than give Openness : appreciation for a variety of experiences. Conscientiousness : planning ahead rather than being spontaneous. Extraversion : being sociable, energetic and talkative. Agreeableness : being kind, sympathetic and happy to help. The Getting Type: 16

17. The Avoiding Type 17 The Avoiding T ype : People who try to escape life’s problems and take little part in socially constructive activity. These have lowest level of energy and only survive by essential avoiding life. When push to limit they tend to become Psychotic, retreating finally into their own personal words.

18. 18 The Social Useful Type The  socially useful  type: people with a great deal of social interest and activity Individuals who are a  social personality type  are dedicated leaders, humanistic, responsible and supportive. They use feelings, words and ideas to work with people rather than physical activity to do things. They enjoy closeness, sharing, groups, unstructured activity and being in charge

19. Birth Order The First-Born Child The Second-Born Child The Youngest Child The oldest child 19

20. 20 The First-Born Child First-born children are in a unique and enviable situation, at least for a while. The parents are usually very happy at the birth of their first child and devote a great deal of time and attention to the new baby. First-borns typically receive their parents’ instant and undivided attention. As a result, first-borns have a very happy and secure existence, until the second-born child appears

21. Family Situation. He is peacemaker There is always someone ahead Child characteristics Is more competitive, want to overtake older child may become a rebel or try to outdo everyone. Competition can deteriorate into rivalry The Second-Born Child 21

22. 22 The Youngest Child Family Situation Has many fathers and mothers Never dethroned Child Characteristics Want to be bigger than other May have huge plans that never work out Frequently spoiled

23. Family Situation Dethroned by next child Parents expectation are usually high Often given responsibilities and expected to set an example Child Characteristics May become authoritarian or strict Feel power in his hand Can become helpful, if encouraged The Oldest Child 23

24. Adler’s primary research method was the case study . He published only two case histories for two fragments: one written by a patient, the other written by a patient’s physician. Adler wanted his psychology to be a science, but it has not been a psychology easily verified by the scientific method. Research on adler’s theory:

25. Adler’s belief that dreams help us solve current problems he researchers concluded that dreaming enabled the subjects to deal effectively with the current threatening situation . Those who dreamed later recalled significantly more of the uncompleted puzzle than those who did not dream . 25 Dreams:

26. 26 Research has found that adults who scored low on inferiority feelings tended to be more successful and self-confident and more persistent in trying to achieve their goals than adults who scored high on inferiority feelings. Research on teenagers and young adults in China showed that they felt inferior about different aspects of their life at different ages . Inferiority Feelings :

27. Early Recollections: 27 Our earliest memories of childhood help reveal our lifestyle. Early memories of people diagnosed as anxiety neurotics were concerned with fear . Early memories of depressed persons centered on abandonment . E arly memories of those with psychosomatic complaints involved illness . Early memories of alcoholics contained threatening events.

28. 28 Adler suggested that children who were neglected or rejected by their parents developed feelings of worthlessness. Neglected children have also been found to experience more shame, depression, symptoms of PTSD, and lower socialization skills than children who were not neglected. Neglected children may also be more prone to acts of violence and excessive alcohol use later in life. Neglect in childhood

29. Adler argued that pampering in childhood could lead to a pampered style of life in which the person shows little or no social feelings for others. pampering can lead to excessive narcissism, which involves a lack of responsibility or empathy for other people, as well as an exaggerated sense of self-importance, and a tendency to exploit others. 29 Pampering in childhood:

30. Types of pampering: 30 Overindulgence involves the persistent parental gratification of a child’s needs and desires, leading to feelings of entitlement as well as tyrannical and manipulative behavior . Over permissiveness involves allowing children to behave as they please with no consideration for the effects of their behaviour on other people, leading to a disregard of social rules and the rights of others. Over domination involves exclusive parental decision-making, leading to a child’s lack of self-confidence and a tendency to become dependent on others in adulthood. Overprotection involves parental caution, excessively warning children of potential dangers in their environment, leading to generalized anxiety and a tendency to avoid or hide from social situations.

31. Social interest: 31 Research using the SIS found that those high in social interest reported less stress, depression, anxiety, and hostility than those low in social interest. Research with college students found that those high in social interest scored high in spirituality and religiosity. social network has been positively associated with physical and mental wellbeing.

32. Birth Order: First born children A study in Finland found that the behavior and characteristics of first-borns can influence whether the parents decide to have other children, within 5 years of the birth of the first. According to Adler, first-borns are concerned with power and authority . Second born children Less research has been conducted on second-born children. A study of first-born and second-born siblings, conducted over 3 years, found that the attitudes, personalities, and leisure activities of second-born children were influenced more by their older siblings than by their parents . Adler predicted that last-born children, if excessively pampered, would have adjustment problems as adults. He also considered only-borns to be more selfish. Another study found that they were more self-centered and less popular than were children reared with siblings . 32 Last born children

33. Only children: To Adler, only-born adults are overly concerned with being the center of attention, as they were in childhood. He also considered only-borns to be more selfish. They are more self-centered and less popular than were children reared with siblings . 33

34. Reflections on Adler’s Theory: 34 Contributions: Adler’s influence within psychology has been substantial. Those contributions make Adler’s personality theory one of the most enduring. He was ahead of his time, and his cognitive and social emphases are more compatible with trends in psychology today than with the psychology of his own day. His focus on the whole person and the unity of personality is reflected in the work of Gordon All port. The creative power of people to shape their own styles of life, and the insistence that future goals are more important than past events, influenced the work of Abraham Maslow.. Adler’s ideas also reached into Freudian psychoanalysis.

35. 35 Freud charged that Adler’s psychology was oversimplified and would appeal to many people because it eliminated the complicated nature of the unconscious. A related charge is that Adler’s concepts appear to rely heavily on commonsense observations from everyday life. Critics allege that Adler was inconsistent and unsystematic in his thinking and that his theory contains gaps and unanswered questions. Criticism:

36. Thank You 36