Page 26 - History of Psychology

Alfred Adler

Alfred Adler (1870-1937) was born into a wealthy family in Vienna, but had an
unhappy childhood. This is because he is often sick and is compared to his older
brother. Adler completed his medical education in 1895 and in 1902 regularly
attended meetings with Freud. But slowly Adler began to openly oppose Freud,
especially regarding Freud's emphasis on sexuality and his literal interpretation of
sexuality.

Gradually, Adler developed an alternative to Freud's views, but remained within the
psychoanalytic model. The individual psychology he developed was not as detailed
as Freud's theory. Adler offers a view of human activity in general which mentions
the inferior condition of the individual at birth, which results in the individual
constantly striving to obtain positive feelings and perfection. Adler's personal,
holistic definition of individual psychology on personality emphasizes the
individual's need for wholeness, perfection, and specifically set goals. Motivation in
Adler's theory, is not a negative drive from drive reduction, as stated by Freud, but
a positive pull from an individual's struggle to improve himself and achieve
superiority.

The whole personality is the result of individual efforts so that all psychic
phenomena really come from the unique creative power of the individual. Thus,

Adler's motivational principle is not reduced to biological instincts, but is rather
described as a psychic mind that is almost spiritual. The struggle for superiority is
ultimately a direct reaction to childhood feelings of inferiority, imperfection, and
incompleteness. So according to Adler, the current condition of the individual is
required by future expectations to achieve perfection. Thus, one's existence is
reflected in individual life in a social context and seeks personal harmony in an
effort to achieve a sense of superiority.

Inferiority and Compensation.
Adler (1907/1917) put forward the view that people are very sensitive to disease in
organs that are "inferior" to other organs. For example, some people are born with
weak eyes, others with weak hearts, still others with weak limbs, and so on. Due to
environmental stress on this weak part of the body, the person develops weakness
that hinders normal functioning. One way to adjust to weakness is through
compensation. That is, a person can adapt to weakness in one part of his body by
developing strength in another. For example, a blind person may develop keen
hearing skills. Another way to adjust to weakness is through overcompensation, i.e.
turning weakness into strength. Typical examples include Teddy Roosevelt, who

was a weak child but became a violent outsider, and Demosthenes, who had a
speech impediment but made a great orator.

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