Alfred Adlers Individual Psychology - Research Paper Example

Alfred Adler’s Individual psychology Outline 1.0 Alfred Adler’s Individual psychology - Introduction/abstract 2.0 Key concepts - The secondary and primary feelings of inferiority - Striving for significance - Compensation - Social context - Feeling of community - Style of life - Fictional final goal - Safeguarding tendency - Unity of the personality - Private logic versus common sense - All behavior is purposeful - Treatment 3.0- Conclusion Individual psychology Alfred Adler advanced the theory after he had separated from Sigmund Freud who by then was advocating for psychoanalytic theory (Holowchak, 2012). The theory bases its argument on an understanding that an individual is indivisible, and thus the need for them to be treated holistically. Apart from encouraging individuals to endeavor for the socially valuable goals as they make beneficial contributions into the society, they also attain happiness within themselves (Wells, 2001). Moreover, the theory supports the advancement of individuals who are psychologically healthy as well as cooperative families and couples. This is in order to seek for principles of social equality as well as democratic living. However, when one does not yearn for full personal development and the enthusiasm to assist in the development of other individuals, such a person feels inferior or develops a feeling of superiority to other individuals, and which might result in the provocation of fellow beings (Adler, 2011). The feeling of superiority may contribute to self-centered behavior, thus may make a person become materially or emotionally exploitative to fellow human beings. However, when the sensation of willingness as well as connectedness becomes stronger, it enhances the experience or emergence of equality, and this may make the person self-transcending, grows to be public minded while behaving more valuable to fellow individuals (Adler, 2011). Key concepts of the theory The secondary and primary feelings of inferiority The primary feelings of inferiority entail feelings of smallness, dependency and weakness. These function as the motivational factors for development. However, a toddler might experience abnormal sensations of inferiority due to psychological difficulties, poor parenting or due to economic or cultural obstacles (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). Conversely, the secondary feeling of inferiority occurs in adults’ sensation of insufficiency due to the adoption of impossible compensatory or idealistically high goals, more so that of perfection. An individual in this situation witnesses a lesser or greater level of agony with regard to his or her perception about the closeness to the desired goal (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). Consequently, an inferiority complex occurs due to a deep sensation of inferiority, which might result into pessimistic resignation and the tacit inability to surmount challenges. Striving for significance According to Adler, every human being strives to shift from a sensation of inferiority to that of significance. Thus, the most basic shift of man from birth to death entails growth, overcoming of hurdles, expansion, security and completion. This may either take negative and positive turn, for instance, negative superiority and an urge for excellence, success or positive superiority (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). Therefore, Adler asserts that every human being has a purpose which continually strives to overcome challenges, response to some questions, solve riddles in life as well as the development of self by a certain degree to a personal satisfying completion, and thus facilitating full realization of purpose of life (Johansen, 2010). Compensation This entails the predisposition to compensate for the poor development of either mental or physical functioning through training or interest, specifically within a universal array of development (Adler, 2011). Overcompensation displays a very strong impulse to the scope of development, which is normally past the universal range. With regard to this, it might take a significant course to outstanding achievement or the reverse, which is a valueless course to disproportionate perfectionism. In this situation, genius people occur due to unusual overcompensation. Consequently, under compensation displays minimal active or passive mind-set to development. This puts unnecessary demands as well as expectations on other individuals (Adler, 2011). Social context Human beings are part of the larger wholes such as community, family, the entire humanity, the planet as well as the world. Through these contexts, man faces three vital tasks namely sex, occupation, love as well as relations with fellow beings, which entails the social challenges (Johansen, 2010). Therefore, the manner a child is raised as well as his or her response to the initial social system or family gathering may contribute to his model of the world alongside his or her attitude (Adler, 2011). Moreover, Adler asserts that people must recognize their association in past life as well as future events. Therefore, what a person can do in life relies on contributions made by other people in the past. This enables him formulate a question on the contribution of an individual in life, and thus the usefulness or useless aspect of a person. Feeling of community This concept entails the social feeling, social interest as well as the social sense (Johansen, 2010). It signifies the acceptance and recognition of the association of every individual, the knowledge on affective, behavioral as well as cognitive levels (Adler, 2011). The affective level is felt as a profound sense of belonging to humanity as well as compassion with fellow beings. Within the cognitive level, it occurs as acknowledgment of interdependence with other people, thus the perception that one’s welfare eventually lies on the welfare of every individual (Holowchak, 2012). In the behavioral level, such feelings and thoughts are interpreted to actions with focus on self-development integrated with helpful and cooperative movements expressed to other individuals (Johansen, 2010). In this regard, the feeling of community entails the complete development of every one’s capabilities, which is a process that is personally fulfilling. This is because it produces individuals possessing something valuable, which can be shared with one another. Therefore, Adler asserts that a social person tends to remain happy unlike one who remains isolated and who tries to attain superiority (Adler, 2011). Thus, optimism, self-confidence and courage arise when a person has a sense of belonging, and which is won when one is involved, experienced and in cooperated as well as being valuable to other beings. Style of life This concept reveals the organization of personality, which entails the meaning people bestow to themselves as well as to the entire world (Johansen, 2010). Moreover, it entails people’s fictional ultimate goal, their cognitive, affective as well as behavioral strategies used to attain the set goals. A person builds up a lifestyle at childhood that is unique to each person. Among healthy people, tackling life tasks seems flexible since they can establish ways of solving the problems in case one method seems unworkable. They turn to one another in an attempt to seek another method of problem solving during difficulties or in situations that the method fails to solve the challenges. However, the disturbed people do insist on one way of solving a problem irrespective of the availability of other alternatives (Adler, 2011). Fictional final goal Fictional final goal is created during the early childhood sensation of inferiority, where a person strives to compensate for any missed experiences or happenings. This attempts to guarantee future success as well as security. However, the profundity of the inferiority sensation establishes the stature of the goal, which later turns out as the final case of behavior prototype (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). Unity of the personality This is attained through the cognitive, behavioral and affective facets of a person. They are observed as elements of an incorporated wholly, which move in a single psychological direction and which lack internal conflicts and contradictions. Private logic versus common sense Private logic refers to a reasoning devised by a person to justify as well as stimulate a self-serving style or means of life. However, common sense is a representative of a society’s consensual as well as cumulative reasoning that acknowledges the insight of joint benefit (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). Safeguarding tendency These entail behavioral and cognitive strategies, which one employs to excuse, or avoids self from anticipated failure. Such strategies may be represented in form of symptoms mostly depression, phobias, anxiety, and which can be used as justifications for evading some tasks in life or for transferring a certain responsibility to other individuals (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). Moreover, the strategies can also be in form of withdrawal or aggression. With regard to aggression, such strategies include accusations, depressions as well as guilt. However, withdrawal strategies include mental, emotional and physical distancing from anticipated threatening problems, situations or persons. All behavior is purposeful Adler considers all behavior with a purpose and thus, a person applies thinking, actions, and sensations to attain a social end (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). Therefore, people do not simply possess or inherit some qualities, attitudes, or traits but simply accept attributes that suits their goals and objectives. Moreover, they discard those they deem unfit for them. Therefore, Adler accentuates personal responsibility for an individual’s behavior compared to being a passive person of either environment or heredity. The male and female seniors face the challenge of working individually to strengthen coping skills amongst them. According to the population, the issue of working individually to strengthen coping skills seems quit disturbing. The population seems not to recognize the importance of connecting oneself to other members of the society. However, their method of solving the problem will not be productive since it undermines the need as well as the importance of socialization in the society (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). The population is not gaining. This is because for individual development to be witnessed there is need to promote connection between the female and males and within the same sexes. Coping skills is learnt from fellow human beings, and this calls for the need to promote socialization process. Through connections, both males and females will have the ability to learn from colleagues on ways of strengthening coping skills since there are some people within the group who have some clues or experience on the issue (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). Therefore, by sharing of ideas and experiences, the population will have a massive pool of information and resources to learn from, and specifically within the population. Moreover, through connectedness, the population will have the capacity to learn and understand many things from pals, acquaintances, peers as well as their juniors and seniors within the population, and thereby ensuring there is a cycle of learning and increased chances of accessing more ideas (Johansen, 2010). Consequently, having a higher ability to learn from each other depends on the ability of each member of the population to connect or initiate a transaction with fellow members of the population. This will facilitate individual personal development since the person gets the opportunity to pass through important life stages, and this makes him or her have higher experience in dealing with life challenges (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). Additionally, to develop strong coping skills among members of the population, there is need for inclusion of the social process. Consequently, important elements and virtues within the population need to be trapped and utilized in an effective manner. Through this, there will be reduced incidences of insecurity, racial discrimination, war and prejudice when every person strives for connectedness (Slavik & Carlson, 2006). Treatment Adler’s theory guides patients to surmount the sensations of insecurity, develop insightful sensations of connectedness as well as redirecting their urge for meaning into socially advantageous directions (Johansen, 2010). Therefore, individuals are challenged to change their misguided attitudes, assumptions, feelings as well as behaviors within their midst and in the whole world (Wells, 2001). Moreover, there should be a continuous support to patients to indulge in things previously regarded as impossible. This is due to growth of pride, gratification, as well as confidence. These facilitate a better urge as well as ability to collaborate while trying new tasks. Adler’s theory focuses on an individual with regard to one’s social context. Moreover, there is no conflict with regard to relatedness and individuality, self and society. Therefore, the theory asserts that the higher the level of an individual’s personal development, the more the person gets connected with other people (Johansen, 2010). Moreover, one’s ability to connect with other people determines his or her ability to learn and thus, develop self. Therefore, a person is connected with friends, family and community and that the connection is crucial both for dwelling together in the society as well as for that person’s higher development. Moreover, Adler argued that if humanity understood as well as felt or experienced the connectedness, then self-centered problems like prejudice, war as well as discrimination would never exist (Johansen, 2010). References Adler, A. (2011). The practice and theory of individual psychology. Mansfield Centre, Ct: Martino Public. Holowchak, M. (2012). Freud: From individual psychology to group psychology. Lanham, Md: Jason Aronson. Johansen, T. (2010). Religion and spirituality in psychotherapy: An individual psychology perspective. New York: Springer Pub. Co. Slavik, S., & Carlson, J. (2006). Readings in the theory of individual psychology. New York: Routledge. Wells, A. S. (2001). Psycho: Director Alfred Hitchcock. Harlow: Longman. Read More