Alfred Adler Flashcards
1
Q
Who is Alfred Adler?
A
- developed individual psychology
- 1870-1937
- childhood marked by illness, awareness of death, and intense jealousy of his older brother
- feelings of inferiority
- compensated for weaknesses through persistence
2
Q
What were Adler’s main contributions to the understanding of personality?
A
- notion of striving for superiority
- role of parental influence on personality development
- effects of birth order
3
Q
What were the main differences between Adler and Freud (what did Adler believe)?
A
- Mind is an integrated whole
- Emphasis on conscious mind
- Future goals are an important source of motivation
- Optimistic about human existence
- Dreams important to learn about lifestyles
- Humans free to determine their own personality
- Minimized importance of sex
- Goal of therapy to encourage a lifestyle that includes social interest
4
Q
What is striving for superiority?
A
- single motivating force that can subsume all other motives
- life begins with feelings of inferiority
- when children become aware of their weakness, begin lifelong struggle to overcome sense of inferiority
- virtually all individual actions aim to establish a sense of superiority over life’s obstacles
- the more inferior we see ourselves, the stronger our striving for superiority
- urge toward perfection or completion that motivates each person
- Innate goal, which is future oriented
5
Q
What is an inferiority complex?
A
- excessive feelings of inferiority
- belief that they are vastly inferior to everyone else
- develops when a person is unable to compensate for normal inferiority feelings
- poor self- opinions
- feel helpless
- find it difficult to cope with life demands
- avoid or run away from challenges
6
Q
What is a superiority complex?
A
- develops when a person overcompensates for normal inferiority feelings
- boastful
- self-centered
- tend to denigrate others
7
Q
When are feelings of inferiority good?
A
- motivational
- drive to accomplish
- healthy
- need to succeed
8
Q
What is fictional finalism?
A
- imagined or potential fictional goals
- goals guide behaviour toward a complete state of being
- these fictions are determinants of lifestyle
- mean or good world (depending on how we see world determines goals and steps to achieve)
9
Q
What indicates a well adjusted person?
A
- concern for social interest combined with a superiority striving indicates mental health of a person
- achieve superiority and personal satisfaction only if they reach goals with consideration for the welfare of others
10
Q
What indicates a poorly adjusted person?
A
- striving for superiority through selfishness and a concern for personal glory at the expense of others
11
Q
What is lifestyle?
A
- the personality structure
- psychological processes that we need to reach a goal
- established very young, childhood experiences
- people use different means to reach the same goal
12
Q
What is social interest?
A
- People’s innate ability to socialize
- Crucial to adjustment
13
Q
What is the striving process?
A
- Striving is based on a unique feeling of inferiority that develops early on in life
14
Q
What is maladjustment?
A
- Feeling too inferior
- Social interest not sufficiently developed
- Striving for goals that will make you feel better than everyone
- At odds with being social
15
Q
What is parental influence on personality development?
A
- first few years are extremely important in the formation of adult personality
- emphasis on parents’ role
- parental behaviours that lead to problems in children’s life
