Alfred Adler Lecture 1

Question 1

Alfred Adler core tenet

Answer 1

personality functioning is manifested in the manner in which individuals strive to compensate for perceived inferiorities

Question 2

striving for superiority

Answer 2

efforts to compensate for inferiority feelings

Question 3

styles of life

Answer 3

strategies that people used to overcome perceived inferiorities

Question 4

style of life determinants

Answer 4

1. real or imagined inferiority
2. birth order
3. family atmosphere

Question 5

first born

Answer 5

has all the power, dethroned, subsequent strivings = power issues

Question 6

middle kids

Answer 6

strong superiority strivings (playing catch up)

Question 7

youngest

Answer 7

superiority strivings undermined

Question 8

only kid

Answer 8

exaggerated sense of self-importance and deficient social interest

Question 9

dad and mom are equal, caring partners + cooperation, trust, respect, help, and understanding =

Answer 9

kids strives for superiority in a partially conscious, socially constructive way (i.e. social success)

Question 10

if dad is an autocratic tyrant + dishonest, neglect, to much pampering =

Answer 10

the kids strives for superiority in an unconscious, socially destructive way (i.e. personal superiority)

Question 11

2x2 typology

Answer 11

1. active-constructive
2. passive-destructive
3. active-destructive
4. passive-constructive

Question 12

active-constructive

Answer 12

energetic strivings for social success identified with the social goal (most mentally healthy)

Question 13

passive-destructive

Answer 13

lazy, unwillingness to solve own problems; blame others instead thereby gaining control and thus personal superiority over your “persecutors” (least mentally healthy)

Question 14

active-destructive

Answer 14

forcefully attempt to achieve personal superiority in a selfish manner

Question 15

passive-constructive

Answer 15

accept inferiority but still try to achieve personal social success in some small, indirect way

Question 16

Horvath & Morf: narcissism and unconscious self-loathing
assumed that underlying all the surface grandiosity, narcissists secretly harbor fears of inferiority and worthlessness

Answer 16

Results: when the “failure” prime-target delay was short, narcissists were relatively quick to identify worthlessness words as words (worthlessness was already unconsciously activated)
when the “failure” prime-target delay was long, narcissists were relatively slow to identify worthlessness words as words (had time to unconsciously “repress” worthlessness and replace it with self-grandiose thoughts)