Lesson 9
feelings of weakness and inadequacy Claimed
I. TOPIC: THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF
UNDERSTANDING SELF ACCORDING TO
ALFRED ADLER
"A simple rule in dealing with those who are hard
to get along with is to remember that this person is
striving to assert his superiority; and you must deal
with him from that point of view."
 Alfred Adler was a physician, psychotherapist,
and the founder of Adlerian psychology,
sometimes called Individual Psychology.
 He is considered the first community
psychologist, because his work pioneered
attention to community life, prevention, and
population health.
 His emphasis on the importance of feelings of
inferiority, the inferiority complex, is
recognized as an isolating element which plays
a key role in personality development.
 Basic Human Motivation:
Drive for Superiority, the desire for self-
improvement, an "upward drive" for
perfection.
 Basic Human Problem:
Inferiority Complex, extreme feelings of
weakness or inadequacy; involves an inability to
accept natural limitations.
Individual Psychology
Refers to the body of theories of the
Austrian psychiatrist Alfred Adler, who held that
the main motives of human thought and behavior
are individual man's striving for superiority and
power, partly in compensation for his feeling of
inferiority.
Adler's Theory
 Suggested that every person has a sense of
inferiority.
 From childhood, people work toward
overcoming this inferiority by "striving for
superiority."
 Adler believed that this drive was the
motivating force behind human behaviors,
emotions, and thoughts.
Adler's Inferiority Complex
 Alfred Adler: contemporary of Freud; placed
emphasis on human pursuit of superiority.
 Studied the influence of birth order on
personality.
 Coined inferiority complex, exaggerated
that people overcompensate to hide their
feelings of inferiority.
 We work endlessly to achieve social status, gain
power or acquire material possessions.
 An Inferiority Complex occurs when the need
for self-improvement is blocked.
 When one has constant criticism and repeated
failure happens causing one to feel helpless and
insecure.
 Can become socially isolated and fearful Can
develop an exaggerated competitive and
aggressive nature.
 Stagnation of growth in which difficulties seem
too immense to be overcome.
 Being overcome by a feeling lack of worth.
 Feeling one never will be strong enough.
 Feeling one never will be intelligent enough.
Theory of Inferiority
 Need for self-esteem can be thought of as one
of the social needs.
 A person's sense of self-esteem depends on
feedback from others.
 The need and anxiety it produces was
emphasized by Adler.
 Everyone feels inferior to a certain degree, this
motivates us to get better.
 Common cause: parental neglect.
 2 methods of coping with inferiority->
inferiority complex*, superiority complex*.
 To deal with inferiority, people either
overcompensate by engaging in vocal
behavior*, or become lazy, tentative, and
helpless.
 Overall, the way people overcome inferiority
provides the basis for their lifelong personality.
5 types of inferiority:
1. Physical
2. Intellectual
3. Psychological
4. Social
5. Economical
Inferiority Feelings and Personality
 Feelings of inferiority are a natural part of
personality development. They start in
childhood when we compare ourselves to
adults and continue into adulthood when we
discover limitations to our abilities.
 The natural and healthy reaction to inferiority
feelings is Compensation, efforts to overcome
 real or imagined inferiority by developing one's
abilities.
Inferiority Feelings
What Is Adler's Theory of Inferiority?
 The striving for superiority arises because as
 A psychological condition that exists when a
human beings we feel inferior.
person's feelings of inadequacy are so intense
 Inferiority feelings have their origin in our
that daily living is impaired.
encounter as infants in the environment. As
 According to Adler, all humans experience
human infants, unlike other animals, we are
feelings of inferiority as children and spend the
born immature, incomplete to satisfy even our
rest of their lives trying to compensate for
basic needs.
those feelings.
Feelings of Inferiority
What Is the Basic Principle of Adlerian Theory?
 One of Adler’s most well-known ideas is that
Adlerian theory purports that humans are
everyone experiences feelings of inferiority
social beings and therefore all behavior is socially
(i.e., worries that one is not achieving enough).
embedded and has social meaning. Adler
 Among psychologically healthy individuals,
emphasized the importance of relationships and
these feelings of inferiority encourage the
being connected to others, including the larger
pursuit of goals, providing motivation to strive
community in which people reside.
towards self-improvement.
 In other words, by developing positive ways of What Is Adler's Theory of Birth Order?
coping with feelings of inferiority, individuals
 A researcher named Alfred Adler developed
can end up achieving great things and making a
birth order theory in the 20th century.
positive contribution to society as a whole.
 The theory claims that the order in which a
 However, some individuals have difficulty
child is born shapes their development and
coping with feelings of inferiority, which leads
personality. Adler also claimed that family,
them to feel discouraged.
community, and social aspects play a major role
 Other individuals may cope with feelings of
in shaping a child's personality.
inferiority in unproductive ways, like behaving
selfishly in order to feel superior to others. The Science of Birth Order
 In Adlerian therapy, the therapist works to
 A researcher named Alfred Adler developed
provide the client the support and
birth order theory in the 20th century.
encouragement they need in order to cope
 The theory claims that the order in which a
more effectively with feelings of inferiority and
child is born shapes their development and
to develop healthy ways of overcoming these
personality.
feelings.
 Adler also claimed that family, community, and
Superiority Complex social aspects play a major role in shaping a
child’s personality.
 Actually, caused by feelings of inferiority.
 Today, many psychologists believe that where
 "Safeguarding behaviors" are excuses for
you fall in your family’s birth order has a major
failures.
impact on your personality development.
 Compensation leads to lies, exaggeration, and
acting superior. Oldest Child
 The complex will only increase unless they get
 If you're the firstborn child, you have your
treatment.
parents all to yourself for a period of time.
 Neurotics repressed feeling of inferiority belief
Because it’s your parents’ first-time being
that one is better than others.
parents, they tend to dole out attention to you.
 Feeling no one else is as athletically fit.
 They’re also extra careful when it comes to all
 Feeling one's own ideas are better than anyone
aspects of child rearing — from bumps and
else's.
bruises to early education.
 People behave arrogant, exaggerate their
 Eldest children benefit from all this attention.
achievements.
 Your parents might expect a lot from you if
you're the oldest, especially as other children
are born into your family.
 Your parents might seem stricter with you, and
often expect you to set an example for your
younger siblings and show responsibility.
 Studies show if you're the eldest child, you tend
to demonstrate leadership skills.
 Maybe you're a leader in the workplace
already, or rising to the top of your industry.‌
Middle Child
 It’s a stereotype that if you're a middle child
you're a peacekeeper, but there seems to be a
grain of truth behind the saying.
 Because you lack the title of being the oldest or
the youngest, you seek to carve out a niche for
yourself in the family dynamic.
Youngest Child
 As the baby of the family, you tend to take one
of two paths when developing your personality,
according to Adler.
 The first path is a clear journey to success,
where you try to excel in every way, often
becoming the go-to person in the family.
 Youngest children can also become avoidant if
they lack the confidence or drive to excel.
 You might have freedoms your older siblings
don't have.
 As your parents’ rules become more relaxed,
your parents can be more hands-off with you.
 You're usually assured of your place in the
family and can be very creative, rebellious, and
outgoing.
Only Child
 If you're an only child, you've been surrounded
by adults since birth.
 That’s not to say you weren’t socialized with
other children through kindergarten, the
playground, or school.
 But during your time at home, you socialized
with parents and other adults, mimicking their
behaviors and becoming "small people".
 Your parents might be overprotective of you,
leading you to become dependent on your
parents for support.
 You aren’t used to sharing clothes, space, or
parental attention with siblings.
 This can make you intelligent and creative, but
also stubborn and set in your ways.
Birth Order and Intelligence
 Some theories claim that firstborns are more
intelligent and have a higher IQ than later-
burns.
 But the most recent studies show that
firstborns only hold a 1-point IQ advantage on
average over their siblings. Social factors could
be to blame for this idea.
 Another study shows that firstborns might
benefit from being surrounded by adults during
their first years.
 They absorb the way adults talk, while later-
burns are more exposed to the less-developed
ways their siblings speak.
 You tend to enjoy negotiation and compromise.
You can often relate to people of different ages
with ease.
 You can be competitive with your older sibling
— maybe by breaking their sports records,
becoming more fluent in a language, or getting
better grades. Or you might behave more
rebelliously
 The same study found that firstborns often take
a leadership and teaching role to their younger
siblings.
 Some theories say tutoring improves the
intelligence of the tutor — in this case, the
older sibling.
Birth Order and Health
 Some people think birth order affects health.
 Studies suggest if you’re the oldest, you're
more likely to have a lower birth weight than
your siblings.
 Later-born children have an increased risk of
hospitalization due to avoidable accidents. This
could relate to a lack of parental attention in a
large family. Younger siblings may struggle with
mental health during puberty and young
adulthood, and are more likely to be admitted
to the hospital for reasons relating to alcohol.
 Overall, researchers found most birth order
differences are due to where your parents
choose to spend their time and resources.
Other Factors That Influence Birth Order
 Birth order is a complex subject. There isn’t a
“one-size-fits-all” for every family.
 Different factors affect social family dynamics,
and results differ from child to child and family
to family.
Some other factors that influence birth order
 Parental attitudes and culture. In some
cultures, even if a boy is born after four girls, he
may still be treated as the oldest.
 Age difference. Adler notes that if children
have an age difference of more than three
years, subgroups with different dynamics may
form. Most experts agree, but place the age
gap at five years.
 Twins. Most twins get special attention from
parents, so experts say these rules don’t
necessarily apply.
 Confidence. A child’s opinion of themselves
determines their outlook and attitude. While
birth order helps shape their personality, it’s
not the only factor.
What are the four main goals of Adlerian
counseling?
In general, the goals of Adlerian play
therapy are for clients to
(a) feel more connected to others and be able to
interact with others in prosocial ways;
(b) develop and practice more positive ways for
belonging and gaining significance;
(c) learn to cope with feelings of discouragement
and inferiority in healthier.
The Stages of Adlerian Therapy
What are the four stages of Adlerian therapy?
 Carlson demonstrates the four stages of
Adlerian Therapy: creating a relationship,
assessment, insight, and reorientation
 Individual therapy, or Adlerian therapy, is an
approach in which a therapist works with a
client to identify obstacles and create effective
strategies for working towards their goals.
Adlerian believe that, by gaining insight into
challenges, people can overcome feelings of
inferiority.
 Moreover, Adlerian believe that people are
most fulfilled when they are working towards
the social interest; that is, when they are doing
things that are beneficial for society as a whole.
Key Takeaways: Adlerian Therapy
 Adlerian therapy, also known as individual
therapy, emphasizes the individual’s ability to
bring about positive change in his or her own
life.
 Adlerian therapy consists of four stages:
engagement, assessment, insight, and
reorientation.
 In Adler’s theory, individuals work to overcome
feelings of inferiority and to act in ways that
benefit the social interest.
Four Stages of Adlerian Therapy
In Adler’s approach to therapy, termed
individual psychology or Adlerian psychology,
therapy progresses through a series of four stages:
1. Engagement. The client and therapist begin to
establish the therapeutic relationship. The
relationship should consist of collaboration
towards addressing the client's problems. The
therapist should offer support and
encouragement.
2. Assessment. The therapist works to learn more
about the client's background, including early
memories and family dynamics. In this part of
therapy, the therapist attempts to understand
how the client may have developed certain
styles of thinking that are no longer helpful or
adaptive for them.
3. Insight. The therapist offers an interpretation of
the client’s situation. The therapist suggests
theories about how past experiences may have
contributed to issues the client is currently
experiencing; importantly, the therapist leaves
it up to the client to decide whether these
theories are accurate and useful.
4. Reorientation. The therapist helps the client to
develop new strategies that the client can use
in daily life.
Social Interest
 One of Adler’s other key ideas was the concept
of the social interest. According to this idea,
people are at their best—their psychologically
healthiest and most fulfilled—when they act in
ways that benefit society.
 For example, a person high in social interest
might go out of their way to help others, while
a person with lower levels of social interest may
bully others or act in antisocial ways.
Importantly, levels of social interest can change
over time.
 A therapist can help their client increase his or
her levels of social interest.