Individual psychology () is a psychological method and school of thought founded by the
Austrian psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians who evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments or strictly ...
Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler ( ; ; 7 February 1870 – 28 May 1937) was an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school of individual psychology. His emphasis on the importance of feelings of belonging, relationships within the family, a ...
.
The English edition of Adler's work on the subject, ''
The Practice and Theory of Individual Psychology'' (1924), is a collection of papers and lectures given mainly between 1912 and 1914. These papers provide a comprehensive overview of
psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...
and emphasizing the indivisible unity of the personality.
In developing individual psychology, Adler broke away from
Freud
Sigmund Freud ( ; ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies seen as originating from conflicts in t ...
's
psychoanalytic
PsychoanalysisFrom Greek: and is a set of theories and techniques of research to discover unconscious processes and their influence on conscious thought, emotion and behaviour. Based on dream interpretation, psychoanalysis is also a talk the ...
school. While Adler initially termed his work "free
psychoanalysis
PsychoanalysisFrom Greek language, Greek: and is a set of theories and techniques of research to discover unconscious mind, unconscious processes and their influence on conscious mind, conscious thought, emotion and behaviour. Based on The Inte ...
", he later rejected the label of "psychoanalyst". His method, which involved a
holistic
Holism is the interdisciplinary idea that systems possess properties as wholes apart from the properties of their component parts. Julian Tudor Hart (2010''The Political Economy of Health Care''pp.106, 258
The aphorism "The whole is greater than t ...
approach to character study, was highly influential in late 20th-century
counseling
Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes.
This is a list of c ...
and
psychiatric
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of deleterious mental conditions. These include matters related to cognition, perceptions, mood, emotion, and behavior.
Initial psychiatric assessment of ...
strategies.
The term "individual psychology" refers not only to the individual but also to the patient as an indivisible entity. Adler stated that one must consider the patient's entire environment, including their social connections.
Adler's psychology
Adler's psychology diverges from the Freudian view, which bases a person's psychology on
sex and
libido
In psychology, libido (; ) is psychic drive or energy, usually conceived of as sexual in nature, but sometimes conceived of as including other forms of desire. The term ''libido'' was originally developed by Sigmund Freud, the pioneering origin ...
. Instead, Adler's psychology focuses on the individual's evaluation of the world with special attention to societal factors. According to Adler, a person must confront three forces: the societal, the love-related, and the vocational.
These confrontations shape the final nature of a personality. Adler based his theories on a person's pre-adulthood development, emphasizing factors such as unwanted children, physical deformities at birth, and birth order.
Adler's theory is similar to the
humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective that arose in the mid-20th century in answer to two theories: Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory and B. F. Skinner's behaviorism. Thus, Abraham Maslow established the need for a "third force" ...
of
Abraham Maslow
Abraham Harold Maslow ( ; April 1, 1908 – June 8, 1970) was an American psychologist who created Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actua ...
, who acknowledged Adler's influence on his theories.
Both assert that the individual human being is the best judge of their own needs, desires, interests, and growth.
The theory of compensation, resignation, and over-compensation
Adler believed feelings of
inferiority are the prime drivers of human motivation.
He theorized that
personality traits
In psychology, trait theory (also called dispositional theory) is an approach to the study of human personality. Trait theorists are primarily interested in the measurement of ''traits'', which can be defined as habitual patterns of behavior, thou ...
develop as a response to external influences, with individuals striving to overcome perceived deficiencies.
Adler identified several key mechanisms through which individuals adapt to these influences.
Compensation
Adler introduced
compensation as the effort to counteract physical or
psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...
deficiencies, through
counteract training, typically within normal developmental bounds. He suggested that neurotic behavior and other psychological disturbances could arise from defensive strategies employed by individuals who feel inadequate in facing life's challenges.
His student,
Sofie Lazarsfeld, expanded on this theory within
developmental psychology
Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult development ...
. She argued that, in typical development, a child receives encouragement and learns to address difficulties through
persistence
Persistence or Persist may refer to:
Math and computers
* Image persistence, in LCD monitors
* Persistence (computer science), the characteristic of data that outlives the execution of the program that created it
* Persistence of a number, a ma ...
and
cooperation
Cooperation (written as co-operation in British English and, with a varied usage along time, coöperation) takes place when a group of organisms works or acts together for a collective benefit to the group as opposed to working in competition ...
. A well-adjusted individual, in her view, feels socially integrated and accepts imperfection".
However, Lazarsfeld noted that under adverse conditions, a child experiencing inferiority may resort to compensation—or overcompensation—by striving excessively to overcome perceived weaknesses. Though this can lead to achievement, it may also result in psychological difficulties.
[Lake, p. 6]
Resignation
Some individuals respond to feelings of inadequacy by passively accepting their limitations. This resignation may lead to disengagement from challenges, potentially hindering
personal development
Personal development or self-improvement consists of activities that develops a person's capabilities and potential, enhance quality of life, and facilitate the realization of dreams and aspirations. Personal development may take place over the ...
.
Over-compensation
In cases of overcompensation, individuals push beyond typical developmental limits, sometimes achieving exceptional success, as seen in historical figures like
Demosthenes
Demosthenes (; ; ; 384 – 12 October 322 BC) was a Greek statesman and orator in ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide insight into the politics and cu ...
, who overcame a
speech disorder
Speech disorders, impairments, or impediments, are a type of communication disorder in which normal speech is disrupted. This can mean fluency disorders like stuttering and cluttering. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is c ...
to become a renowned
orator
An orator, or oratist, is a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled.
Etymology
Recorded in English c. 1374, with a meaning of "one who pleads or argues for a cause", from Anglo-French ''oratour'', Old French ''orateur'' (14 ...
.
However, Adler cautioned that an excessive fixation on compensating for perceived deficiencies could contribute to neurotic behavior, highlighting the role of external factors in personality formation.
Primary and secondary feelings of inferiority
The primary feeling of inferiority is the original feeling of smallness, weakness, and dependency an infant or child experiences. Recognizing this feeling was normal was fundamental to Adler's thinking and a key part of his break with
Freud
Sigmund Freud ( ; ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies seen as originating from conflicts in t ...
. An inferiority feeling typically motivates development. But a child may develop an
exaggerated
Exaggeration is the representation of something as more extreme or dramatic than it is, intentionally or unintentionally. It can be a rhetorical device or figure of speech, used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression.
Ampl ...
feeling of inferiority due to physiological difficulties, handicaps, inappropriate parenting (including
abuse
Abuse is the act of improper usage or treatment of a person or thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, ...
,
neglect
In the context of caregiving, neglect is a form of abuse where the perpetrator, who is responsible for caring for someone who is unable to care for themselves, fails to do so. It can be a result of carelessness, indifference, or unwillingness and ...
, or over-pampering), or cultural and possibly economic barriers.
The secondary inferiority feeling is an adult's feeling of insufficiency resulting from adopting an unrealistically high or impossible compensatory goal, often related to
perfection
Perfection is a state, variously, of completeness, flawlessness, or supreme excellence.
The terminology, term is used to designate a range of diverse, if often kindred, concepts. These have historically been addressed in a number of discre ...
. The degree of distress is proportional to the subjective distance from that goal. Additionally, the residue of the original, primary feeling of inferiority may persist. An
inferiority complex
In psychology, an inferiority complex is a consistent feeling of inadequacy, often resulting in the belief that one is in some way deficient, or inferior, to others.
According to Alfred Adler, a feeling of inferiority may be brought about by ...
is a consistent feeling of inadequacy, often leading to timidity, withdrawal from society, overcompensation, or competitiveness.
Feeling of community
Translated from German, ''
Gemeinschaftsgefuehl'' can variably refer to community feeling, social interest, social feeling, or social sense. The feeling of community is the recognition and acceptance of the interconnectedness of all people, experienced on affective, cognitive, and behavioral levels, and was increasingly emphasized in Adler's later writings.
At the affective level, it manifests as a deep feeling of belonging to the human race and
empathy
Empathy is generally described as the ability to take on another person's perspective, to understand, feel, and possibly share and respond to their experience. There are more (sometimes conflicting) definitions of empathy that include but are ...
with others. At the cognitive level, it is experienced as a recognition of
interdependence
Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems, i.e. cohesive groups of interrelated, interdependent components that can be natural or artificial. Every system has causal boundaries, is influenced by its context, defined by its structur ...
with others, meaning the welfare of any one individual depends on the welfare of everyone. At the behavioral level, these thoughts and feelings translate into actions aimed at self-development and cooperative, helpful movements directed toward others. The concept of "feeling of community" therefore encompasses the full development of individuals' capacities, a process that is personally fulfilling and results in people who contribute to one another.
Withdrawal
In cases of discouragement, individuals who feel incapable of developing in a real and socially valid way create a fantasy of superiority—what Adler termed "an attempt at a planned final compensation and a (secret) life plan"
[Adler, quoted in Eric Berne, ''What Do You Say After You Say Hello?'' (1974) p. 58]—in a secluded area of life, offering shelter from failure and loss of prestige. This fictional world, sustained by the need to protect an anxious ego, private logic at odds with reason, and a schema of apperception that interprets, filters, and suppresses real-world data, is fragile. It is vulnerable to mounting internal tension and external assaults. The "will to be or become" is replaced by the "will to seem".
Holism
Central to the Adlerian approach is viewing the personality as a whole, not as the result of component forces, hence the term individual (''indivisible'') psychology. Adlerians take a stance that bridges the
nature-nurture debate by seeing the developing individual creating their personality in response to both nature and nurture but not entirely determined by them. The self-created personality operates subjectively and idiosyncratically. The individual strives for both
self-development
Self-help or self-improvement is "a focus on self-guided, in contrast to professionally guided, efforts to cope with life problems" —economically, physically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis.
When ...
and social meaning—what Adler called "the concept of social usefulness and the general well-being of humanity"—expressed in a sense of belonging, usefulness, contribution, and even cosmic consciousness.
Classical Adlerian psychology today
According to contemporary Adlerian practitioners, the model continues to offer relevance in modern therapeutic contexts. The modern movement describes itself as holistic and values-based, incorporating both
depth psychology
Depth psychology (from the German term ''Tiefenpsychologie'') refers to the practice and research of the science of the unconscious, covering both psychoanalysis and psychology. It is also defined as the psychological theory that explores the rel ...
and practical, democratic principles in daily life. Modern Adlerian organisations describe their mission as promoting psychological well-being and democratic values in personal and social life. The model assumes that the psyche is not internally conflicted but yearns for purpose, direction, and unity.
['Classical Adlerian Individual Psychology: Alfred Adler's Original Approach'](_blank)
/ref>
Henri Ellenberger wrote of "the slow and continuous penetration of Adlerian insights into contemporary psychological thinking".
Adlerians practitioners remain active in the 21st century, some using an eclectic technique integrating elements of other therapies, from the psychodynamic
Psychodynamics, also known as psychodynamic psychology, in its broadest sense, is an approach to psychology that emphasizes systematic study of the psychological forces underlying human behavior, feelings, and emotions and how they might relate t ...
to the cognitive, while others focus on a more classical approach.
With a foundation in Alfred Adler's original teachings and therapeutic style, the movement today incorporates contributions from Kurt Adler, Alexander Müller, Lydia Sicher, Sophia de Vries, and Anthony Bruck; the self-actualization
Self-actualization, in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, is the highest personal aspirational human need in the hierarchy. It represents where one's potential is fully realized after more basic needs, such as for the body and the ego, have been fulfill ...
research of Abraham Maslow
Abraham Harold Maslow ( ; April 1, 1908 – June 8, 1970) was an American psychologist who created Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actua ...
, who Adler mentored; and the innovations of Henry Stein.
Striving for significance
Adlerian theory proposes that human behavior is generally oriented toward growth, completion, and security. This may take a negative turn into a striving for superiority or power over others, but it is primarily about finding one's place in the world and feeling a sense of belonging. Many reference works mistakenly identify only the negative "striving for power" as Adler's basic premise.
Style of life
This concept reflects the organization of the personality, including the meanings individuals assign to the world, others, and themselves; their fictional final goal; and the affective, cognitive, and behavioral strategies they use to reach that goal, whether normal or neurotic. This style is also viewed in the context of the individual's approach to the three tasks of life: relationships, work, and love/sex.
Fictional final goal
Classical Adlerian psychology assumes a central personality dynamic that reflects growth and forward movement in life, influenced by Hans Vaihinger's concept of fiction
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying character (arts), individuals, events, or setting (narrative), places that are imagination, imaginary or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent ...
. It is future-oriented, striving toward an ideal goal of significance, superiority, success, or completion: what Adler himself called "an attempt at a planned final compensation and a (secret) life plan".
A common feeling of inferiority, which one aims to compensate for, leads to creating a fictional final goal that subjectively promises total relief from that feeling, along with future security and success. The depth of the inferior feeling usually determines the height of the goal, which then becomes the "final cause" of behavior patterns.
Unity of the personality
This position views all cognitive, affective, and behavioral facets of an individual as components of an integrated whole, moving in one psychological direction, without internal contradictions or conflicts. Gerald Corey (2012) wrote in ''Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy'' that personality can only be understood holistically/systemically. Adlerian psychology views the individual as a holistic entity influenced by familial, social, and cultural contexts. In a recent interview with the Journal of Individual Psychology, Jane Griffith said, "The holistic character of thought is in Adler's choice of the term Individual Psychology...It's one word in German, Individualpsychologie: indivisible...Adler also thought that not only is the individual not to be divided up, but he's not to be seen as apart from his context either. He said that you can't examine an isolated individual."
Private logic (vs. common sense)
Private logic is the reasoning an individual invents to stimulate and justify their style of life. In contrast, common sense represents society's consensual reasoning that recognizes the wisdom of mutual benefit. In 1995, Harold Mosak described Five Basic Mistakes in private logic:
* Overgeneralizations
* False or impossible goals of security
* Misperceptions of life and life's demands
* Minimization or denial of one's basic worth
* Faulty values
Safeguarding tendencies
Safeguarding tendencies are cognitive and behavioral strategies used to avoid or manage perceived failure. They can manifest as symptoms—such as anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner wikt:turmoil, turmoil and includes feelings of dread over Anticipation, anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response ...
, phobia
A phobia is an anxiety disorder, defined by an irrational, unrealistic, persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias typically result in a rapid onset of fear and are usually present for more than six months. Those affected ...
s, or depression—which can be used as excuses for avoiding life's tasks and transferring responsibility to others. They can also take the form of aggression or withdrawal. Aggressive safeguarding strategies include deprecation, accusations, or self-accusations and guilt, which are used to elevate fragile self-esteem
Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth, abilities, or morals. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself (for example, "I am loved", "I am worthy") as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Smith and Macki ...
and protect an overblown, idealized self-image. Withdrawal involves physical, mental, and emotional distancing from perceived threats.
Psychology of use (vs. possession)
This perspective suggests individuals use their thinking, feelings, and actions (even symptoms) to achieve a social end. They do not merely inherit or possess certain qualities, traits, or attitudes but adopt only those characteristics that serve their goal and reject those that do not fit their intentions. This emphasizes personal responsibility for one's character.
Classical Adlerian psychotherapy
Classical Adlerian psychotherapy may involve individual psychotherapy
Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of Psychology, psychological methods, particularly when based on regular Conversation, personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase hap ...
, couple's therapy, or family therapy
Family therapy (also referred to as family counseling, family systems therapy, marriage and family therapy, couple and family therapy) is a branch of psychotherapy focused on families and couples in intimate relationships to nurture change and ...
, either brief or a longer course, but all approaches follow parallel paths rooted in the ''individual psychology'' of Adler.
Adler's therapy involved identifying an individual's private life plan, explaining its self-defeating, useless, and predictable aspects, and encouraging a shift of interest toward social and communal goals. Specific techniques used included paradoxes
A paradox is a logically self-contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to one's expectation. It is a statement that, despite apparently valid reasoning from true or apparently true premises, leads to a seemingly self-contradictor ...
, humorous or historical examples, analysis of the self-protective role of symptoms, and reduction of transference
Transference () is a phenomenon within psychotherapy in which repetitions of old feelings, attitudes, desires, or fantasies that someone displaces are subconsciously projected onto a here-and-now person. Traditionally, it had solely co ...
by encouraging self-responsibility. Adler also favored "prescribing the symptom", a form of anti-suggestion aimed at making the client's self-defeating behavior less appealing.
Based on a growth model of the mind, Adler's approach aimed to foster social interest and reduce repetitive lifestyles based on archaic private logic. With its emphasis on reasoning with the patient, classical Adlerian therapy shares similarities with cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions, primarily depression, PTSD, and anxiety disorders.
Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on challenging and chang ...
.
A core principle of Adlerian psychotherapy is encouragement, which is based on empathy and belief in the patient's potential. By making the patient aware of their secret life plan, the therapist can offer an alternative outlook better suited to broader social interests.
Encouragement is a feature of the Adlerian approach that aligns with principles used in child development and education, therapeutic education being one of Adler's central concerns.
Goals/Overview
Adlerian psychotherapy is unique in that each client receives individualized therapy, created by the therapist in a six-phase process. The overall goal is to establish a relationship between the client and the community to challenge unhealthy thoughts and replace self-defeating behaviors with those that promote a more positive and healthy lifestyle.[Encyclopedia of Psychotherapy, San Diego, 2002.] The stages of this classical psychotherapy are:
*Phase 1: The first phase focuses on support, broken down into empathy/relationships and information gathering. The therapist provides warmth and acceptance and generates hope while giving reassurance and encouragement. Early childhood memories/influences are sought out, providing insight into how the client faces life problems.
*Phase 2: The primary focus is encouragement through clarification and promoting new directions. Therapists clarify vague thinking with Socratic questioning
Socratic questioning (or Socratic maieutics) is an educational method named after Socrates that focuses on discovering answers by asking questions of students. According to Plato, Socrates believed that "the disciplined practice of thoughtful q ...
and evaluate the consequences of various actions or ideas. They help the client correct inappropriate ideas about themself and others, creating alternative ways of thinking to redirect their life while clarifying feelings.
*Phase 3: This phase focuses on insight through interpretation, recognition, and knowing. The client learns to interpret feelings and goals, identifying what they have avoided in the past. This phase integrates Freudian ideas such as dreams, daydreams, and recollections. The client becomes fully aware of their lifestyle, understanding and accepting the need for change.
*Phase 4: The fourth phase focuses on change through emotional breakthrough, doing differently, and reinforcement. Emotional breakthrough is achieved through role-playing, guided imagery, and narration. The client breaks old patterns and changes their attitude, creating steps based on abstract ideas. The therapist encourages all efforts made by the client to promote change, rewarding and affirming positive feelings and changes while evaluating progress.
*Phase 5: Centers on challenge. The client is encouraged to engage more fully in relationships and to take interpersonal risks, extending new feelings of cooperation and empathy to others. Through goal redirection, the client releases their old self and lives by new values. Support and launching occur through inspiring the client to enjoy the unfamiliar, strengthening their feelings of connectedness, and continuing self-growth.[Stages of Classical Adlerian Psychology](_blank)
additional text.
*Phase 6: The Meta-Therapy phase is for clients who have gone through Adler's therapy, readjusted their lives, and are making progress in becoming who they want to be. Clients are advised to identify and pursue what aspects of life are truly important.
The Socratic method
The Socratic method (also known as the method of Elenchus or Socratic debate) is a form of argumentative dialogue between individuals based on asking and answering questions. Socratic dialogues feature in many of the works of the ancient Greek ...
guides clients to clarify feelings and meanings, gain insight into intentions and consequences, and consider alternative options. Guided imagery
Guided imagery (also known as guided affective imagery, or katathym-imaginative psychotherapy) is a mind-body intervention by which a trained practitioner or teacher helps a participant or patient to evoke and generate mental images that simulat ...
helps bring awareness, change, and growth. Role-playing
Role-playing or roleplaying is the changing of one's behaviour to assume a role, either unconsciously to fill a social role, or consciously to act out an adopted role. While the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' offers a definition of role-playing ...
encourages new behaviors and allows clients to practice managing conflict and other challenges.
Uses
Individual
The basic structure of individual therapy in classical Adlerian psychotherapy is broken down into 5 phases, plus a post-therapy follow-up, with each phase further broken down into multiple stages (13 total). Each stage has different goals for the client and therapist to accomplish, which is the therapy's intended design.
Teacher-education programs
Teacher-education programs are designed to increase child cooperation in classrooms. Teachers, parents, and school administrators attend these programs to learn techniques that improve their teaching effectiveness and their ability to handle children. These programs are taught similarly to marital programs.
Couple-enrichment programs
Similar to group couple counseling, couple-enrichment programs are conducted by trained professionals for groups of couples (typically about 10) to improve their relationships. Various teaching formats are used, including tools such as role-playing, videos, and psycho-social exercises. Sessions typically last about an hour.
Parent and family education programs
These programs are comparable to classes taught by family life educators, focusing on building better family relationships.
Contemporary techniques
There are two main contemporary schools of Adlerian psychotherapy: those following Rudolf Dreikurs
Rudolf Dreikurs (February 8, 1897, ViennaMay 25, 1972, Chicago) was an Austrian psychiatrist and educator who developed psychologist
A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, ...
and those identifying as classical Adlerians. Many organizations write about and practice this psychology (The North American Society of Adlerian Psychology (NASAP), The Journal of Individual Psychology, the International Associate of Individual Psychology (IAIP), the International Congress of Adlerian Summer Schools and Institutes (ICASSI), and other organizations). Many universities worldwide offer postgraduate training in Adlerian psychology. This psychotherapy continues to be practiced and integrated into some areas of mainstream psychotherapy.
A debate exists among contemporary Adlerians regarding the relative roles of belonging and superiority in determining character, with the school associated with Rudolf Dreikurs
Rudolf Dreikurs (February 8, 1897, ViennaMay 25, 1972, Chicago) was an Austrian psychiatrist and educator who developed psychologist
A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, ...
emphasizing the former, as opposed to classical Adlerian theorists.
Dreikurs
Rudolf Dreikurs was a psychiatrist who studied under Adler in Vienna. Although Adler's work was popular in America, it declined after his death. Dreikurs revived Adlerian psychotherapy.
Building on Adler's writings, Dreikurs conceptualized a four-stage approach to Adlerian psychotherapy:
# Establishing the therapeutic relationship.
# Assessing the client's lifestyle.
# Promoting the client's insight into their fictive goal.
# Encouraging clients to broaden their interests from the defensive function of a private logic, into a broader sense of community.
Classical Adlerian psychologists
Adlerian pertains to the theory and practice of Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler ( ; ; 7 February 1870 – 28 May 1937) was an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school of individual psychology. His emphasis on the importance of feelings of belonging, relationships within the family, a ...
(1870–1937), the founder of individual psychology (''Individualpsychologie''). Adlerian clients are encouraged to overcome insecurities, develop deeper connections, and redirect their striving for significance into more socially beneficial directions. Through respectful Socratic dialogue
Socratic dialogue () is a genre of literary prose developed in Greece at the turn of the fourth century BC. The earliest ones are preserved in the works of Plato and Xenophon and all involve Socrates as the protagonist. These dialogues, and subse ...
, they are challenged to correct mistaken assumptions, attitudes, behaviors, and feelings about themselves and the world.
Continued encouragement can help clients attempt goals they previously believed to be unattainable. Developing confidence and a sense of accomplishment may enhance the client’s willingness and ability to cooperate.
The ultimate objective of classical Adlerian psychotherapy is to replace exaggerated self-protection (safeguarding), self-enhancement, and self-indulgence with greater self-knowledge and genuine, courageous social feelings.[Adler, p. 139-42] Notable Adlerians include:
History
Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler ( ; ; 7 February 1870 – 28 May 1937) was an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school of individual psychology. His emphasis on the importance of feelings of belonging, relationships within the family, a ...
was greatly influenced by early socialism
Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
and Freud
Sigmund Freud ( ; ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies seen as originating from conflicts in t ...
, as reflected in his early work and theories. He emphasized that individuals can change their lives. Adler and Freud respected each other, but Adler did not fully agree with Freud's theories. While Adler believed childhood experiences influence current problems, he did not believe they were the only factor, also emphasizing free will and an inborn drive as contributors. He did not believe individuals are victims of their past experiences.
Biography
"Alfred Adler was born to a Jewish family on February 7, 1870, on the outskirts of Vienna. He was the second oldest child of six. He was often sick as a child, and once he became knowledgeable of death, he decided to become a physician someday.
Adler's childhood sickness made him appear weak and inferior. A teacher recommended that he quit school to become an apprentice shoemaker. Adler's family objected to this and Alfred eventually went to medical school and graduated from the University of Vienna with his medical degree specializing in ophthalmology.
Alfred met his future wife, Raissa Timofeyewna Epstein, in a series of political meetings that revolved around the current rising socialist movement. The two were married in 1897.
Adler started a private practice, which slowly switched to internal medicine. It was here that he observed that many of his patients had diseases that could be traced to social situation origins.
Adler's first publication discussed how the social conditions of where people worked influenced diseases and disease processes."
Career
Early in his career, Adler focused on public health, medical and psychological prevention, and social welfare. Later, he shifted towards children at risk, women's rights, adult education, teacher training, community mental health, family counseling and education, and briefly psychotherapy. Adler started The Group for Free Psychoanalytic Research, later renamed Individual Psychology, with individual meaning "indivisible." With this, he founded his own journal, the Journal for Individual Psychology, marking the beginning of classical Adlerian psychotherapy. Although Adler focused on psychoanalysis when starting his group and worked as a psychiatrist, this focus was brief. After World War I, Adler shifted toward community and social orientation, becoming more of a philosopher, social psychologist, and educator.[Primer of Adlerian Psychology: The Analytic – Behavioral – Cognitive Psychology of Alfred Adler, Brunner-Routledge, 1999.]
Components
Adler had many areas of focus, but some key components contributed to classical Adlerian psychotherapy (a.k.a. individual psychology). He believed children are born with an inborn force that enables them to make their own decisions and develop their own opinions, stating that individuals aren't just products of their situations but creators of them. A person's feelings, beliefs, and behaviors all work together to make each individual unique.
Another area of focus was on the concept of fiction, defined as conscious and non-conscious ideas that may not be aligned with reality but serve as a guide to cope with it. People create fictions to guide their feelings, thoughts, and actions, as ways of seeing themselves, others, and their environments.
Another concept is finality: the belief that there is only one organized force, a fictitious final goal. This goal is established in early childhood and remains present throughout life, influencing behavior mostly unconsciously. Questions are asked more along the lines of "what for" or "where to" instead of "why" or "where from," focusing on the goal and purpose of a behavior rather than finding its cause. The final cause of the behavior is the focus, hence the term fictitious final goal.
Social interest is another key area, reflecting the belief that individuals are social beings. The way an individual interacts with others is greatly important in terms of their psychological health. Social interest means feeling part of a family, group, or community, and an important related concept is the ability to feel empathy, which connects individuals.
Works
* Adler, A., ''Über Den Nervösen Charakter: Grundzüge Einer Vergleichenden Individual-Psychologie Und Psychotherapie'', (3rd, revised edition, J F Bergmann Verlag, Munich 1922).
* Adler, A., ''Praxis Und Theorie der Individual-Psychologie: Vorträge zur Einführung in die Psychotherapie für Ärzte, Psychologen Und Lehrer (Bergmann, 1st ed. Wiesbaden 1919, Munich 1920, 2nd ed. 1924, 3rd ed. 1927, 4th ed. 1930).''
* Adler, A., '' The Practice and Theory of Individual Psychology'', translated by P. Radin (Routledge & Kegan Paul, London 1924; revised edition 1929, & reprints).
* Adler, A., ''Die Technik der Individual-Psychologie. 1: Die Kunst, eine Lebens - Und Krankengeschichte zu lesen'' (1st ed., Bergmann, Munich 1928).
* Adler, A., ''Die Technik der Individual-Psychologie. 2: Die Seele des schwer erziehbaren Schulkindes'' (Bergmann, Munich 1928: Fischer Verlag 1974).
* Adler, A., ''Problems of Neurosis: A Book of Case-Histories'', edited by Philip Mairet, with prefatory essay by F. G. Crookshank, "Individual Psychology: A Retrospect (and a Valuation)", pp. vii–xxxvii (Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & co., London 1929).
* Adler, A., ''The Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler'', H. L. Ansbacher and R. R. Ansbacher (Eds.) (Harper Torchbooks, New York 1956).
Papers contained in ''Individual Psychology'' (1929 English revised edition)
* "Individual-Psychology, its assumptions and its results" (1914)
* "Psychical hermaphrodism and the Masculine protest: the cardinal problem of nervous diseases" (1912)
* "New leading principles for the practice of Individual-Psychology" (1913)
* "Individual-Psychological treatment of neuroses" (1913)
* "Contributions to the theory of hallucination" (1912)
* "The study of child psychology and neurosis" (International Congress lecture, 1913)
* "The Psychic treatment of trigeminal neuralgia" (1911)
* "The problem of distance"
* "The masculine attitude in female neurotics"
* "The concept of resistance during treatment" (1916)
* "Syphilophobia" (1911) (phobias and hypochondriac states in the dynamics of neurosis)
* "Nervous insomnia" (1914)
* "Individual-Psychological conclusions on sleep disturbances" (1912)
* "Homo-sexuality" (Lecture to Jurististisch-Medizinische Society, Zurich
Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...
, 1918)
* "Compulsion neurosis" (Lecture in Zurich, 1918)
* "The function of the compulsion-conception as a means of intensifying the individuality-feeling" (1913)
* "Neurotic hunger-strike"
* "Dreams and dream-interpretation" (Lecture, 1912)
* "The role of the unconscious in neurosis" (1913)
* "Life-lie and responsibility in neurosis and psychosis - A contribution to Melancholia" (1914)
* "Melancholia and paranoia - Individual-psychological results from a study of psychoses" (1914)
* "Individual-psychological remarks on Alfred Berger's ''Hofrat Eysenhardt''" (Lecture, 1912)
* "Dostoevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. () was a Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist and journalist. He is regarded as one of the greatest novelists in both Russian and world literature, and many of his works are considered highly influenti ...
" (Lecture, Zurich Tonhalle, 1918)
* "New view-points on War neuroses (1908)"
* "Myelodysplasia (Organ inferiority)" (summary from ''Studie uber Minderwertigkeit von Organen'')
* "Individual-psychological education" (Lecture, Zurich Association of Physicians, 1918)
* "The Individual-psychology of prostitution"
* "Demoralized children" (Lecture, 1920)
Criticism
Karl Popper
Sir Karl Raimund Popper (28 July 1902 – 17 September 1994) was an Austrian–British philosopher, academic and social commentator. One of the 20th century's most influential philosophers of science, Popper is known for his rejection of the ...
argued that Adler's individual psychology, like psychoanalysis, is a pseudoscience
Pseudoscience consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that claim to be both scientific and factual but are incompatible with the scientific method. Pseudoscience is often characterized by contradictory, exaggerated or unfalsifiable cl ...
because its claims are not testable and cannot be refuted; that is, they are not falsifiable.[Popper KR, "Science: Conjectures and Refutations", reprinted in Grim P (1990) ''Philosophy of Science and the Occult'', Albany, 104–110. See also '' Conjectures and Refutations''.]
See also
* Classical Adlerian psychology
* Classical Adlerian psychotherapy
* North American Society of Adlerian Psychology
* Adlerian
* Neo-Adlerian
* Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler ( ; ; 7 February 1870 – 28 May 1937) was an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school of individual psychology. His emphasis on the importance of feelings of belonging, relationships within the family, a ...
** '' The Practice and Theory of Individual Psychology''
* Gemeinschaft Und Gesellschaft
* Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...
* Journal of Individual Psychology
* Rudolf Dreikurs
Rudolf Dreikurs (February 8, 1897, ViennaMay 25, 1972, Chicago) was an Austrian psychiatrist and educator who developed psychologist
A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, ...
* Style of life
Notes
References
* Dinkmeyer, D.C., Pew, W.L., & Dinkmeyer, D.C. Jr. (1979). ''Adlerian counseling and psychotherapy''. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
* Fall, K.A., Holden, J.M., & Marquis, A. (2002). ''Theoretical models of counseling and psychotherapy''. New York: Brunner-Routledge.
* Hoffman, E. (1994). ''The drive for self: Alfred Adler and the founding of Individual Psychology''. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing.
* Mosak, H.H., & Di Pietro, R. (2006). ''Early recollections: Interpretive method and application''. New York: Routledge.
* Oberst, U.E., & Stewart, A.E. (2003). ''Adlerian psychotherapy: An advanced approach to Individual Psychology''. New York: Brunner-Routledge.
Bibliography
* Marty Sapp, 'Adlerian Psychotherapy', in ''Cognitive-Behavioral Theories of Counselling'' (2004) Chapter 3.
Further reading
* Adler, Alfred: ''Individual Psychology'' (1929).
* A. Adler, 'Individual Psychology', in G. B. Levitas ed., ''The World of Psychology'' (1963)
* Ansbacher, R. R. & Ansbacher, H. L.: ''The Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler'' (1956).
* Ellenberger, Henri: ''The Discovery of the Unconscious'' (1970).
* Kishimi, Ichiro & Koga, Fumitake: ''The courage to be disliked'' (2013).
External links
*
Classical Adlerian Psychology according to Alfred Adlers Institutes in San Francisco and Northwestern Washington
Centro de Estudios Adlerianos - Uruguay
Journal of Individual Psychology
alfredadler.org
What is an Adlerian?
* Regional pages:
Adlerians in France
Adlerians in Germany
Adlerians in Ireland
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Adlerians in the UK
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*
Centro de Estudios Adlerianos - Uruguay
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Psychological schools
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