Chapter 12

1. Chapter 12 Alfred Adler’s Individual Psychology

2. Inferiority Feelings (new subtopic) • Influences on this idea • Disease results from or occurs in inferior organs • CNS tries to compensate • Takes energy from other organs • Shares tasks • Other organs develop more • Thought we go out of our way to compensate

3. Inferiority Feelings (cont’d) • Child is inferior in face of the world • “At the beginning of every psychological life there is a more or less deep inferiority feeling.” • Inferiority feelings are universal and innate • Part of human condition • When he looked at childhood games  often saw attempts to be in charge/have power

4. Inferiority Feelings (cont’d) • Degree of inferiority feelings depends on interpretation of child • Does child see it as insurmountable or as challenge? • Feelings of inferiority = cause for improvement in mankind • Can become extreme  Inferiority complex = exaggerated feelings of weakness incl. belief that one cannot overcome them (what you see  shy, timid, insecure, indecisive)

5. Striving for Superiority and Compensation(new subtopic) • Review of theory • Born with feelings of inferiority • Must do something • Inferiority feelings lead to desire to overcome them to develop and reach potential • Striving for superiority: attempting to attain greater degree of competence, mastery, and perfection • Not over others • Superiority over feelings of inferiority

6. Striving for Superiority and Compensation(cont’d) • Initiates compensation = process of overcoming feelings of inferiority • Positive compensation = healthy and within social context • Overcompensation = carried to extreme and is unproductive for ind and/or society • Superiority complex = false feeling of power and security that hides overwhelming feelings of inferiority • What you see  attention-getting beh, attempts to make self important by making others feel small, etc.

7. Fictional Finalism(new subtopic) • Review of theory • Inferiority feelings  Striving for superiority (Desire to overcome them) • Need way to overcome them – goal • All behavior has purpose • Always look for goal of behavior—why we do what we do • Purpose of behavior gives direction and meaning

8. Fictional Finalism(cont’d) • Influence of Hans Vaihinger’s philosophy of “As If” • Ultimate truths lie beyond our comprehension and ability to verify • We create partial truths (constructs or schemas) • We act AS IF these are true – we will never know for sure • Example – live as if there is heaven/hell • Called them fictions

9. Fictional Finalism(cont’d) • Fictional finalism: central goal in life that guides ind; way ind believes that he can obtain security, superiority, and belonging • Image of what we need to become in order to feel safe, superior, and sense of belonging • Imagined ideal situation of perfection, completion and belonging • Teleological focus  behavior is pulled toward this goal • Goal is subjectively conceived with aim of achieving sense of security, superiority, and belonging • Problems result from fear of not belonging (we are social beings)

10. Fictional Finalism(cont’d) • Fictional finalism serves two functions • Intiates compensation – gets us moving by creating goal/destination • Creates positive feelings in present – hope

11. Style of Life(new subtopic) • Review of theory • Feelings of inferiority lead to desire to overcome them (striving for superiority) • This striving for superiority needs direction, goal • Goal comes in form of fictional finalism • Now, we need to develop plan of how to reach goal • Plan = style of life

12. Style of Life(cont’d) • Style of life = ind’s basic orientation to life and themes that characterize ind’s exp. • How you live life, handle problems and interpersonal rel’s • Our individualized approach to experience • Includes how we perceive/give meaning to our exp’s • Results from our attempt to cope with real or imagined difficulties (feelings of inferiority) • Our plan—our roadmap to reaching the goal of fictional finalism

13. Style of Life(cont’d) • Explains how and why our beh fits together • Consists of view of self and world as well as ind’s habits and behaviors • Influences (will cover more) • Early experiences • Private logic • Family constellation • Family atmosphere • Birth order

14. Style of Life—Influences(cont’d) • Early experiences • What happened in early life – how did parents treat you • Significant events and how we respond • Childhood disease  ind may feel overburdened and remain focused on self (Adler stressed importance of humans as social beings) • Pampering  may learn to take w/o giving, but does not learn to do for self • Neglect  learn inferiority b/c told and shown they have no value

15. Style of Life—Influences(cont’d) • Private logic: personal truths—ideas we have about self, others, and life—that make up philosophy of life • Self-talk – what we believe about others and how we may belong • Mistaken beliefs = faulty private logic • Attention  I belong only when I am noticed. • Power  I belong only when I am in control. • Revenge  I belong only when I hurt others. • Display of inadequacy  I belong only by appearing inadequate or helpless.

16. Style of Life—Influences(cont’d) • Family constellation: how close or distant family is in terms of relationships • Quality of relationships in family • Close or distant – both can be problematic • Family atmosphere • Attitudes/beliefs of family • “Private logic” of family

17. Style of Life—Influences(cont’d) • Birth order • Influence of ordinal position (e.g., first, second, third, etc.) of birth • Also influenced by gender, years between siblings, events, disabilities, etc. • Examples…

18. 18 17 15 14 13 Style of Life—Influences(cont’d) • Birth order (cont’d) • What position does the 17-year-old male have? • What about the 15-year-old female? • What position does the 13-year-old female have? • If the 15-year-old female is severely developmentally delayed, what position might the 13-year-old female have?

19. 27 25 15 14 13 Style of Life—Influences(cont’d) • Birth order (cont’d) • What position does the 15-year-old female have? • What position does the 14-year-old male have?

20. 18 17 15 14 13 Style of Life—Influences(cont’d) • Birth order (cont’d) • What position does the 14-year-old male have? • What position does the 13-year-old female have?

21. Social Interest(new subtopic) • Social interest: willingness to cooperate with others for common good and awareness of universal connection among all humans—feeling of community (German = “Gemeinschaftsgefuhl”) • Innate sense of kinship with all humanity • But also must be nurtured, supported, and encouraged by parents and society to develop • Saw man as social being • Broader sense of caring for community, humanity

22. Social Interest(cont’d) • As social interest develops, feelings of inferiority decrease • Influence of others on our development • If social interest developed, we see… • On affective (emotion) level • Feeling of belonging • Able to empathize with fellow man • On cognitive level • Recognition of interdependence • No man is island—can’t do it alone • On behavioral level • Cooperation and helping others

23. View of Pathology(new subtopic) • Problems exist when… • Feelings of inferiority are exaggerated • Social interest not developed • “Discouraged” = term used to refer to when problems have developed • Ind feels discouraged => he resorts to ways to relieve or mask feelings • He avoids confronting difficulties • May believe only one way to solve problems

24. View of Pathology(cont’d) • Inferiority feelings may become so overwhelming and sense of belonging so underdeveloped • They retreat to protect their fragile but inflated sense of self by using safe-guarding devices • Attempt to excuse self from failures by depreciating others • Distance self from others by accusations, guilt, etc. • Develop symptoms that help them avoid connections with others

25. View of Pathology(cont’d) • Problems—Psychological Types • All neurosis (problems) = matter of insufficient social interest, but also influenced by level of energy • Types • Ruling type: • High activity + low social interest • Energetic and aggressive in pursuing own goals • Can be exploitative and manipulative • Tend to push over others

26. View of Pathology(cont’d) • Psychological Types (cont’d) • Types • Leaning Type: • Low energy/activity level + High social interest • Sensitive inds who rely on others to help them through life’s difficulties • Low energy levels => become dependent • When overwhelmed, develop obsessions, phobias, anxiety, etc.

27. View of Pathology(cont’d) • Psychological Types (cont’d) • Types • Avoiding Type • Low energy/activity level + low social interest • Survive life by avoiding it • Tend to be stubborn, lazy, passive-aggressive • Socially Useful Type • High energy/activity level + high social interest • The healthy one • Copes with problems • Orients toward life in successful ways

28. View of Pathology(cont’d) • Therapy • Remember, considered those with problems to be “discouraged”  therefore, must encourage them • Re-education • Not resistance (as Freud saw), but lack of courage to give up neurotic lifestyle • Collaborative effort btn client and therapist • Client must come to understanding – not forced • Goal of therapy = increase feelings of community and to find healthy ways to deal with inferiority feelings (encourage client)