Alfred Adler and Individual Psychology

Group member:-Truong Phong

-Steparies Martin-Zita dewi L.R.M Robert

ALFRED ADLER - Biography

Born February 7,1870 in suburb of Vienna. Second of seven children.

1895, graduated with degree in medicine from University of Vienna Medical School.

1897, married with Raissa Timofejevna Epstein, a Russia student.

Adler had 4 children, Valentina, Alexandra, Kurt & Cornelia.

Established his office in a lower- class of Vienna. His clients include circus people discover the unusual strength and weaknesses are deep effected by organ inferiorities and compensation

From 1902 to 1911, be the member of Viennese psychoanalytic school.

1911, resign to form the Society for Free Psychoanalysis. It become The Society for Individual Psychology in the following year.

Served as Physician in the Austrian Army during World War I increasing the concept of social interest.

wrote books, organized child guidance clinics in the Viennese school system

‘cont

Personal lifeChildhood: unable to walk until 4 years old due to rickets ; pneumonia, near death

Tormented by his older brother. Was jealous of his older brother Sigmund

Weak relationship with mother, felt small, unattractive, and rejected by his mother

‘cont

Strong relationship with father, idolized his fatherWorked hard to overcome his handicaps and inferioritiesBecame very outgoing and social.

He could be characterized as the forerunner of humanistic psychology.

Influenced others’ s thinking : Karen Horney ( social factors), Abraham Maslow (Self- Actualization)

Aggression drive

aggression drive – the reaction we have when other drives

Need to eat, sexually satisfied, be loved

Aggression as physical and negative

Better called assertiveness drive.

Caused friction between Adler and Freud.

Compensation or striving to overcome

Our personalities could be accounted for the ways in which we do – or don’t – compensate or overcome those problems( short comings, inferiorities, etc)"To be a human being means to feel oneself inferior." Adler believed that inferiority feelings are the source of all human strivinginability to overcome inferiority feelings domineer over others, lean on othersAn important role in Adler theory but not a label for the basis motive of human life

Masculine protest

In his culture. Man is more important and held in higher esteem than woman.

Adler did not see men’s assertiveness and success as due to some innate superiority

But he saw it as:Boy – be encouraged to be assertive

Girl – be discouraged.

Both boys and girls begin life with the capacity for “protest

DRIVE - STRIVING FOR SUPERIORITY (OR PERFECTION)

Desire to be better

Refer to unhealthy or neurotic strivingDesire to be better than others rather than better in our own right.

Life Style

Adler’s theory was influenced by Jan Smuts. To understand people, we must understand them in the context of their environment, background, both physical and social, called holismSee people as whole rather than parts individual psychologyLife style refers to how you live your life, how you handle problems and interpersonal relationsLife style is not merely a mechanical reaction to the environment.

Teleology

Adler see motivation as a matter of moving towards the future, rather then being driven by the past

We are drawn toward our goals, our purpose, called teleology

As If

“ As If ” ( influenced by philosopher Hans Vaihinger )For practical purposes, we need to create partial truths – frictionsWe behave as if we knew the world would be here tomorrow, as if we were sure what good and bad are all about….Adler called this fictional finalism

The fiction lies in the future, and yet influences our behavior today

Ideal Personality: THE SOCIALLY USEFUL PERSON.

Potential to corporate with others to achieve personal and social goal.

Give basically a positive outlook in life.

Social Interest and Intelligence

Important part of a persons intelligence functioning in a situation.

Social concern is based on innate disposition.

Involves feeling the pain of others.

Sense of caring for family, community, society, humanity and life.

.

Geniusis primarily a person of supreme usefulness

Good AdjustmentStriving on the "commonly useful side." Poor adjustment is striving on the "commonly useless side.“

Poor Adjustment Greatest difficulties in life and provides the greatest injury to others.

"It is from among such individuals that all human failures spring."

Inferiority

Inferiority “pulled” towards fulfillment, perfection, self-actualization.

3 type of inferiority:Organ inferiority

Psychological inferiorities

Inferiority complex

1907 : Studies of Organ Inferiority

“ to be a man means to suffer from an inferiority feeling which constantly drives him to overcome it” from Alfred Adler, The meaning of life

Sickness, near death experience from early age decide to become the doctor “in order to overcome death and fear of death”

Personality problemRelated to a faulty of lifestyle, usually develop in childhood

Community People have to cooperate

Need the social relationship

Psychological type

Emerges from combining degrees of activity with social interest.3 type of insufficient social interest:

Ruling typeAggressive and dominant over other

Low social interest and high degree of activity

Choleric, angry all time (Greek)

Leaning type -Sensitive people who have develop a shell around themselves. Low energy level and become dependent.Phlegmatic, be sluggish (Greek )

Avoiding type Low social interest and low activity.Tend to become psychotic, finally knock themselves into their own worldMelancholy, sad constantly (Greek )

Social interest : Socially useful typeHigh social interest and high degree of activityHealthy person has both social interest and energySanguine, cheerful, friendly (Greek)

Childhood

Personality or lifestyle as something established quite early in life.

Three basic childhood situationsOrgan inferiorities, early childhood diseases.

Pampering- children are taught, by actions of others, that they can take without giving.

Neglect- child who is neglected or abused learns what the pampered child learns.

Birth order

Not only parents but also brothers and sisters influence the child (Adler is the first theorist.

Only childmore likely than other to be pampered.

First childbegins life as an only child, with all the attention to him or herself

‘cont

Second childhe or she has the first child as a sort of ‘pace-setter’ & tends to become quite competitive, constantly trying to surpass the older child.

Youngest childmost pampered in a family with more than one child.

Diagnosis

Help to discover the ‘fictions’ lifestyle is based upon.

Birth order

Earliest childhood memory

Childhood problem

Day dream

Exogenous factors

Guess- work

Therapy

Adler preferred to have everyone sitting up & talking face to face.

Not let patient sees therapist as authoritarian but advisor

The patient must understand the nature of his or her lifestyle & its roots in self-centered fictions. Therapist must encourage the patient.

Patient needs be listened, understood.

Conclusion

Although Adler was born and grew up with children problems, inferiorities, he did not give up his life but left the helpful theory – individual psychology. It helps people realize themselves to overcome their difficulties.

Life is hard and difficult but it always has room for changes