Adler & Individual Psychology

Question 1

presents an optimistic view of people while resting heavily
on the notion of social interest, which is a feeling of oneness with all humankind. (adler)

Answer 1

individual psychology

Question 2

a list that represents the final
statement of individual psychology (adler)

Answer 2

1. The one dynamic force behind people’s behavior is the striving for success
   or superiority.
2. People’s subjective perceptions shape their behavior and personality.
3. Personality is unified and self-consistent.
4. The value of all human activity must be seen from the viewpoint of social
   interest.
5. The self-consistent personality structure develops into a person’s style of life.
6. Style of life is molded by people’s creative power.

Question 3

implied will to power or a domination of others (adler)

Answer 3

masculine protest

Question 4

term to describe actions of people who are motivated by highly developed social interest (adler)

Answer 4

striving for success

Question 5

expectations of the future or subjective perceptions of reality (adler)

Answer 5

fictions

Question 6

The disturbance of one part of the body cannot be viewed in isolation; it affects the entire person. In fact, the deficient organ expresses the direction of the individual’s goal, a condition known as _______ (adler)

Answer 6

organ dialect

Question 7

is Adler’s somewhat misleading translation of his original German term, Gemeinschaftsgefühl. A better translation might be “social feeling” or “community feeling,” but Gemeinschaftsgefühl actually has a meaning that is not
fully expressed by any English word or phrase.

is the only gauge to be used in judging the worth of a person (adler)

Answer 7

Social interest

Question 8

is the term Adler used to refer to the flavor of a person’s life. It includes a person’s goal, self-concept, feelings for others, and attitude toward the
world

It is the product of the interaction of heredity, environment, and a person’s creative power (adler)

Answer 8

Style of life

Question 9

is a dynamic concept implying movement, and this movement is the most salient characteristic of life. All psychic life involves
movement toward a goal, movement with a direction (adler)

Answer 9

Creative power

Question 10

patterns of behavior to protect their exaggerated
sense of self-esteem against public disgrace.

These protective devices, called ___________, enable people to hide their inflated self-image and to maintain
their current style of life. (adler)

Answer 10

safe-guarding tendencies

Question 11

three common safeguarding tendencies, each designed
to protect a person’s present style of life and to maintain a fictional, elevated feeling of self-importance (adler)

Answer 11

Excuses, aggression, and withdrawal

Question 12

The most common of the safeguarding tendencies

Typically expressed in the “Yes, but” or “If only” format (adler)

Answer 12

excuses

Question 13

Adler (1956) held that some
people use _____ to safeguard their exaggerated superiority complex, that is, to protect their fragile self-esteem.

Safeguarding through ______ may take the form of depreciation, accusation, or self-accusation. (adler)

Answer 13

aggression.

Question 14

is the tendency to undervalue other people’s achievements and
to overvalue one’s own.

This safeguarding tendency is evident in such aggressive behaviors as criticism and gossip (adler)

Answer 14

Depreciation

Question 15

is the tendency to blame others for one’s failures and to seek revenge, thereby safeguarding
one’s own tenuous self-esteem.

“I wanted to be an artist, but my parents forced me to go to medical school. Now I have a job that makes me miserable.” (adler)

Answer 15

Accusation

Question 16

form of neurotic aggression

is marked by self-torture and guilt.

Some people use self-torture, including masochism, depression,
and suicide, as means of hurting people who are close to them.

Guilt is often aggressive, self-accusatory behavior. (adler)

Answer 16

self-accusation,

Question 17

Personality development can be halted when people run away from difficulties. Adler referred to this tendency as _____, or safeguarding through distance (adler)

Answer 17

withdrawal

Question 18

is the tendency to safeguard one’s fictional goal of superiority by psychologically reverting to a more secure period of life. (adler)

Answer 18

Moving backward

Question 19

This withdrawal
tendency is similar to moving backward but, in general, it is not as severe.

People who stand still simply do not move in any direction; thus, they avoid all responsibility by ensuring themselves against any threat of failure. (adler)

Answer 19

standing still.

Question 20

Closely related to standing still is _____

may appear to other people
to be self-defeating

allows neurotic individuals to preserve their inflated sense of self-esteem. (adler)

Answer 20

hesitating.

Question 21

least severe of the withdrawal safeguarding tendencies

Some people build a straw house to show that they can knock it down.

By overcoming the obstacle, they protect their self-esteem and their prestige. If they fail
to hurdle the barrier, they can always resort to an excuse. (adler)

Answer 21

constructing obstacles

Question 22

practical applications of individual psychology (adler)

Answer 22

(1) family constellation,
(2) early recollections,
(3) dreams, and
(4) psychotherapy

Question 23

the chief purpose of Adlerian psychotherapy is (adler)

Answer 23

to enhance courage,
lessen feelings of inferiority, and encourage social interest

Question 24

According to Adler, what do neurotics tend to do?

Answer 24

1. Set their goals too high
2. Live in their own private world
3. Have a rigid and dogmatic style of life

Question 25

these types of children have low social interest.

Answer 25

1. those who have exaggerated physical deficiencies 2. pampered children who have not received too much love or feel unloved. 3. children who feel unloved and unwanted/those who were abused and maltreated.