ALFRED ADLER

Alfred Adler, a colleague of Freuds and the first president of the Vienna Psychoanalytical Society
(Freuds inner circle of colleagues), was the first major theorist to break away from Freud (Figure). He
subsequently founded a school of psychology calledindividual psychology, which focuses on our
drive to compensate for feelings of inferiority. Adler (1937, 1956) proposed the concept of
the inferiority complex. An inferiority complex refers to a persons feelings that they lack worth and
dont measure up to the standards of others or of society. Adlers ideas about inferiority represent a
major difference between his thinking and Freuds. Freud believed that we are motivated by sexual
and aggressive urges, but Adler (1930, 1961) believed that feelings of inferiority in childhood are
what drive people to attempt to gain superiority and that this striving is the force behind all of our
thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Alfred Adler proposed the concept of the inferiority

complex.
Adler also believed in the importance of social connections, seeing childhood development emerging
through social development rather than the sexual stages Freud outlined. Adler noted the interrelatedness of humanity and the need to work together for the betterment of all. He said, The
happiness of mankind lies in working together, in living as if each individual had set himself the task
of contributing to the common welfare (Adler, 1964, p. 255) with the main goal of psychology being
to recognize the equal rights and equality of others (Adler, 1961, p. 691).
With these ideas, Adler identified three fundamental social tasks that all of us must experience:
occupational tasks (careers), societal tasks (friendship), and love tasks (finding an intimate partner
for a long-term relationship). Rather than focus on sexual or aggressive motives for behavior as
Freud did, Adler focused on social motives. He also emphasized conscious rather than unconscious
motivation, since he believed that the three fundamental social tasks are explicitly known and

pursued. That is not to say that Adler did not also believe in unconscious processeshe didbut he
felt that conscious processes were more important.
One of Adlers major contributions to personality psychology was the idea that our birth order shapes
our personality. He proposed that older siblings, who start out as the focus of their parents attention
but must share that attention once a new child joins the family, compensate by becoming
overachievers. The youngest children, according to Adler, may be spoiled, leaving the middle child
with the opportunity to minimize the negative dynamics of the youngest and oldest children. Despite
popular attention, research has not conclusively confirmed Adlers hypotheses about birth order.

One of Adlers major contributions to personality psychology was the idea that our birth order shapes
our personality. Follow this link to view a summary of birth order theory.

Alfred Adler's Theory of the Psychological

Development in Children
by Michele Norfleet, studioD

If you encourage your children, they will feel like cooperating with you.

Related Articles

A Brief Description of Each of the Five Stages of Child Development

Intellectual Development in the Stages of Early Childhood

Spiritual Development in Young Children

The Moral Development of Right & Wrong With Children

Development of Reflexes in Children

Signs of Abnormal Emotional Development in Children

Have you ever wondered about your childs psychological development? Do you question what
motivates him to do the things he does? In the early 1900s, Alfred Adler put forth his theory of
the psychology of child behavior. Psychologists still use his principles, and these principles are
the underlying basis of the STEP Program, which is the Systematic Training for Effective
Parenting, used in some parenting classes.
Sponsored Link

Kumita ng $960 sa 4 days?

Sa Forex maaaring kitain ang $960 sa 4 na araw lang. Alamin paano.
www.xforex.com

Adlerian Theory
According to Adler, children have a need to belong and they engage in purposeful and goaloriented behavior to that end. As a Mom, your job is to encourage your child to take
responsibility for her behavior and teach her to respect herself and others. When she speaks
disrespectfully to you, if you have already laid the groundwork with her, she knows you will
enforce the consequences. In this way, she learns to take responsibility for her behavior, and she
will become a child, who, according to Adlerian theory, will feel encouraged about herself and
will behave in helpful and cooperative ways.

Encouragement
To promote positive behavior in your child, Adler recommends encouragement, the act of
acknowledging and appreciating your child's contributions. Encouragement can be as basic as
saying, "Thank you" to your child for being helpful. When your preschooler carries his plate to
the sink, for example, rather than telling him what a good boy he is, Adler says to be encouraging
by letting him know he is being helpful and that you appreciate his help. On the other hand, if he
drops food on the floor while carrying his plate and you focus on this rather than acknowledging
his attempt, he feels discouraged and may behave in less acceptable ways in the future.

Goals of Misbehavior
Adlerian psychology describes four goals of misbehavior - attention, power, revenge and
inadequacy. To determine your childs goal, check your reaction to the behavior. If her goal is
attention, you feel annoyed and want to remind her. When your daughter doesn't clean her room,
if you remind her, explain why she needs to clean her room and offer rewards you may find it is
all to no avail. In the end, her room is still a mess and you are still annoyed. All you have done is
give her attention for her misbehavior. Your attention-seeking daughter continues the behavior
because she is keeping you involved with her and she will take whatever attention she can get,
even if it is negative. At times, you will see her behavior escalate into a power struggle. Now you
feel angry. Your resolve to keep the upper hand increases and you punish her. When she feels that
you have treated her unfairly, unfairly, her goal may shift to revenge to get even for the
mistreatment she perceives. She yells, and tells you she hates you, which causes you to feel hurt
or rejected. As this struggle between you two escalates, she may move to the goal of inadequacy.
She feels defeated, gives up, and wants to be alone. You feel like giving up.

Natural Consequences
How can you break out of this vicious cycle? When dealing with misbehavior, Adlerian
psychology emphasizes that the only behavior you can change is your own. However, by
changing your reaction, you can effect a change in your childs behavior. Encouragement, as well
as natural and logical consequences, are effective ways of responding to misbehavior and show
your child that she is valued, respected and a vital contributor to the family. Natural
consequences are a natural result of an action. In the case of your daughter who refuses to clean

her room, a natural consequence is that she cannot find her possessions. When she laments that
she cannot find her favorite shoes you simply agree with her that those shoes would look great
with her outfit and you hope she will be able to find them. Wish her "good luck" and walk away,
giving her no attention for not cleaning her room and avoiding a power struggle. On the other
hand, at some time in the future when she actually cleans her room, you encourage her by telling
her how nice her room looks and how much you enjoy coming in to her space now.

Logical Consequences
A logical consequence is most effective when there is not a power struggle. Otherwise, your
child perceives it as punishment. Logical consequences are those that you create and are a logical
outcome of a behavior. For example, you can avoid conflict over homework issues by
establishing in advance when homework time is, as well as arranging a logical consequence with
his teacher. When he refuses to do homework, simply ask him what happens at school when he
does not turn in his assignments. Remind him that he can choose to work now or explain to his
teacher tomorrow why the assignment is not completed. When he comes home complaining
about his "mean teacher" you are sympathetic towards his misery but supportive of the teacher.
On days when homework is done in a timely manner find time to play a game or other activity
together, not as a reward but as a logical consequence of having the time.