Group 1 Names Tasks/Contributions

Leader Banzon, Fernald Researcher

C. Formatting
Writer:
- Five Main Tenets
- Key Concepts
- Fourth Phase (Re-orientation)
- Criticisms and Limitations
- References
- Revisions
Reporter

Assistant Bautista, Jillian Researcher

Leader E. Writer:
- Introduction to the Phases of Individual Psychology
- First Phase (Establishing the Relationship)
- Conclusion
Reporter

Members Beato, Divine Writer:

Shaniel G. - Definition of Terms
- Introduction to Individual Psychology
Reporter

Bondoc, Patricia Writer:

Grace M. - Script (Scenario)
Reporter

Borja, John Paul Writer:

T. - History and Background
Reporter

Boniquit, Reporter
Kheanna Writer:
Laurice E. - Goals of Individual Psychology
Reporter
Video Editor

Bugay, Karlo Researcher

Yuan Basil S. Writer:
- Second Phase (Performing Analysis)
- Third Phase (Promoting Insight)
Reporter

Langaman, Writer:
Rianne Kirstein - Definition of Terms
Reporter

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 I. Definition
Individual Psychology is a school of psychology named to focus attention on the
understanding that a person is "indivisible," meaning that people should be treated
holistically. Individual psychology assumes that people are motivated by social factors and
are responsible for their own thoughts, feelings, and actions. It also assumes that people are
driven by purposes and goals, tending to look towards the future.

In the concept of superiority, Adler used this to explain our drive to master external
obstacles, to gain power and status, and to arrive at a positive state. It is very important to
know the difference between striving for superiority and superiority complex. In the term
superiority, Adler did not emphasize being superior to others. While in other hands, when
someone has a superiority complex it has a negative impact on others, we put others down to
mask our own negative feelings about ourselves.

The primary feeling of inferiority was originally experienced by infants and children, it can
be a feeling of smallness, weakness or even dependency. The secondary feeling of inferiority
is the adult's feeling of insufficiency that results from having adopted an unrealistically high
or impossible compensatory goal; often one of perfection. The adult experiences a greater or
lesser degree of distress, depending on how distant they feel they are from that goal.

The final goal emphasizes the individual's position in the family system, psychological birth
order, family dynamics, and attempts to avoid feelings of inferiority.

Adler equates creative power with the "self," the "I," the "soul" of the individual. It provides
the uniqueness and self-consistency of movement toward an imagined ideal completion, the
creative compensation for felt deficiency, and an unfolding of all capabilities toward a
totality.

In Adler's psychoanalytic theory, the concept of fictional finalism refers to the way people's
behavior is mostly guided by “fictions” rather than past experiences. “Fictions” are beliefs,
goals, and ideals held by the individual that give meaning to their actions and attribute
significance to their life.

Gemeinschaftsgefühl was a term used by Alfred Adler (1870-1937), an Austrian doctor and
psychotherapist in the early 20th century, that is translated to English as “community feeling”
or “social interest”.

Adler used the terms organ dialect, organ jargon, and organ language interchangeably to
refer to somatic signs and symptoms that express though veiled an individual's attitudes and
opinions.

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 II. Explanation
1. Introduction
Adlerian theory is a comprehensive psychology that stresses the significance of overcoming
inferiority complexes and finding a sense of belonging in order to succeed and be happy.
Adler had the opinion that families, which are people's first social environments, are where
people first learn how to fit in and interact with others. Adler held the view that people were
composed of both the internal and external forces they had to deal with throughout their lives,
in contrast to Freud and many other well-known psychologists of his time. According to
Alfred Adler, rather than simply a few "pieces," most human behavior may be attributable to
an individual as a whole. Other psychologists at the time were generally focused on internal
factors that contributed to one's mental health and overall constitution, with many rejecting
the "whole" individual belief. Adler's therapy method is typically referred to as individual
psychology because of his belief that people are indivisible and ought to be treated as such.
Today's psychology as a whole continues to be greatly affected by Alfred Adler's ideas.

2. History and Background

Alfred Adler is a german-born on the 7th of February 1870 and died on the 28th of May
1937. Alfred Adler was born at Mariahilf 208 in Rudolfsheim, a village on the western
fringes of Vienna, a modern part of Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus, the 15th district of the city. He
was second of the seven children of a Jewish couple, Pauline, and Leopold Adler. Leopold
Adler was a Hungarian-born grain merchant.

Alfred's younger brother died in the bed next to him when Alfred was only three years old,
and throughout his childhood, he maintained a rivalry with his older brother. This rivalry was
spurred on because Adler believed his mother preferred his brother over him. Despite his
good relationship with his father, he still struggled with feelings of inferiority in his
relationship with his mother. Alfred was an active, popular child and an average student who
was also known for their competitive attitude toward his older brother, Sigmund. Early on, he
developed rickets, which kept Alfred from walking until he was four years old. At the age of
four, he developed pneumonia and heard a doctor say to his father, "Your boy is lost". Along
with being run over twice and witnessing his younger brother's death, this sickness
contributed to his overall fear of death. At that point, he decided to be a physician. He was
very interested in the subjects of psychology, sociology, and philosophy. After studying at the
University of Vienna, he specialized as an eye doctor, and later in neurology and psychiatry.
He was an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school of individual
psychology.

His emphasis on the importance of feelings of belonging, family constellation, and birth order
set him apart from Freud and other members of the Vienna Circle. He proposed that
contributing to others (Social Interest or Gemeinschaftsgefühl) was how the individual felt a
sense of worth and belonging in the family and society. His earlier work focused on
inferiority, the inferiority complex, an isolating element that plays a key role in personality
development. Alfred Adler considered a human being as an individual whole, and therefore
he called his psychology "Individual Psychology" (Orgler 1976). Adler was the first to

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emphasize the importance of the social element in the re-adjustment process of the individual
and to carry psychiatry into the community. A Review of General Psychology survey,
published in 2002, ranked Adler as the 67th most eminent psychologist of the 20th century.

3. Adler’s View on Humanity (Holism, Teleology, etc.)

Adler’s overall view on humanity is holistic and phenomenological in orientation, meaning
that each individual is unique and indivisible and should be viewed as a whole. The life of an
individual consists of their perception of early childhood event’s and the unity of personality
that arises from these perceptions should be considered holistically or as a whole to ensure
that the whole self is treated instead of just aspects of the personality which may seem
defective. The life of a person can only be analyzed through looking at all components of it –
behaviors, emotions and attitudes. These aspects of a person's personality should not be
viewed as internally divided or in conflict with each other. They are dynamic and work in
tandem to make someone who they are. Adlerians believed that dividing up the personality
into parts (id, ego, superego) was counterproductive because it was mechanistic or
deterministic, meaning it viewed the actions of individuals as created by causes regarded as
external to free will which is in opposition to his views of unified and self-consistent
personality and creative power. There is no internal war or conflict inside of the personality,
instead the whole of the individual moves only towards one direction. In Adlerian
psychology, clients aren’t assessed from the perspective of urges and drives but instead
through the perspective of the total fields in which they operate.

Human behavior is developed within the social context and therefore, therapy should be
applied with that context into consideration. Furthermore, he asserted that all human conflict
is social conflict because the basic desire of people is to belong and they can only fulfill
themselves in a group context. For Adler, the fundamental nature of humans is social.

Adler’s concept of the nature of people differed from his predecessor, Sigmund Freud, taking
a more optimistic and subjective view on individuals and their behavior. While Freud saw
humans as being driven by instinct which can be controlled into socially acceptable behavior,
Adler believed that behavior was primarily learned rather than being instinctual and that
ultimately, we are in control of our behavior. He believed more in the conscious power of
individuals rather than the unconscious. Our behavior, our identity and our perception in
relation to our reality is one of conscious choice, and should not be wholly blamed on
unconscious influences. From Adler’s perspective, the good or evil of a person is not
inherent, rather, based on the immediate assessment one undertakes in a situation and its
result, they may choose to be good or evil.

Adler also believed that the behavior of humans is inherently teleological or goal-oriented.
Individual psychology analyzes behavior not solely based on the causes from which those
behaviors arise but more so on the purpose that behavior aims to serve. If counselors want to
understand their clients, they must first identify the client’s goals. We establish both
immediate and long range goals even if we are not immediately conscious of it. All human
nature has a purpose, and usually this purpose is socio-oriented. The movement toward a goal

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is always in relation to ourselves and others. All behavior has its own private logic, which is
usually located at the unconscious level. Our private logic affects the mechanics by which we
think and act and rationalize our purpose in life and the way in which we choose to attain our
fictional goals. This is in contrast to common sense, wherein it’s society’s cumulative,
consensual reasoning that recognizes mutual benefit. Development and progression of
individual psychological health takes place when we become more conscious of our private
logic and the unique ways in which we’ve constructed our own meaning and fictions of the
world. When counselors align a client’s goals and assist them in either realigning or finding
the means to attain them, they are contributing to the development of the client. Therapy can
also assist in identifying faulty interpretations and mistaken beliefs of a situation and the
errors in our private logic.. The assessment of the private logic is also essential in helping a
client understand their own behavior and goals.

Watts (2000) summarized the Adlerian philosophical orientation. He noted that it was
psycho-educational, combining the elements of cognitive-behavior therapy, group therapy
and education. It was time-sensitive and oriented towards the present of the future, rather than
the past. It has common ground with cognitive-behavioral approaches while simultaneously
integrating systemic perspectives of experience and resonating against modernist approaches
or in other words, resonating with postmodernism. Individual psychology is also aligned with
constructivist, solution-focused and narrative therapy approaches.

4. Main Tenets of Adler’s Individual Psychology

4.1 Strive for Success and Superiority
Sex, aggression and conflict served as the prime motivator in Sigmund Freud’s
psychoanalytic theories and for a time, Adler agreed with this assertion. But over time, Adler
realized that the aggression that arises from us humans is not from a need or a desire to be
aggressive, but from a need or desire to dominate or in other words, be superior. This is
where Adler’s motivators distinguish itself from Freud’s, aggression only becomes the means
for superiority, not the end itself. This lays the groundwork for Adler’s prime motivators of
humanity and in turn, the first tenet, this being the concepts of superiority and inferiority.
“The one dynamic force behind people’s behavior is striving for success or superiority.”
Adler believed that we as humans are born with weak and inferior bodies, and out of this
inferiority came a desire to overcome it, compensate for it and to find a sense of
belongingness in the world, or what he calls the “final goal”.

The final goal in layman’s terms is any individual’s goal in life. Thus this goal has no
objective existence and only lives in the conscious and subconscious mind of the individual
manifesting it, uniting the personality to a substantial extent and revealing certain behaviors
in a manner that makes it comprehensible. Fictional finalism is a concept derived from Hans
Vaihinger which focuses on these fictional goals which help us comprehend and contextualize
reality as we experience it and in turn influence our behavior in experiencing it. Heinz
Ansbacher described Adler’s fictional finalism or fictional goals (final goals) as:

1. Providing for the internal, subjective causation of psychological events

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 2. Representing a creation of a person, and being primarily subconscious
3. Becoming the principle of unity and self-consistency of one’s personality
4. Forming the basis of a person’s orientation in the world and,
5. Supplying one way of compensating for one’s feelings of inferiority

The final goal can be virtually any goal as it varies from individual to individual. However,
these various goals can almost always be categorized into these two main sections; personal
gain (superiority) and community benefit (success). According to Adler’s theories, if the
child is raised in a dysfunctional manner, whether it be neglect or pampering, the final goal
remains unconscious, vague and misunderstood. This misunderstood goal manifests as a goal
that puts emphasis on the benefit of the self instead of the benefit of the community or the
common good. This is called personal gain or superiority. On the other hand, if the child grew
up in a healthy and secured family, the goal becomes conscious and clearly understood, a
goal that strives for success and social interest or in other words, community benefit. Also
according to Adler, an individual striving for personal gain is considered unhealthy as they
have little or no concern for other people and are therefore considered “useless” in society,
whereas an individual striving for the success of all humanity would be considered healthy as
they do so naturally.

Each person has the power to create their own personalized final goal, one constructed out of
the raw materials of heredity and environment. This means that while our family background
and our living environment lays out the groundwork for our final goal, it is ultimately us who
decides what it is we choose to pursue. This concept is called creative power.

Figure 1. Two Basic Methods of Striving Towards the Final Goal

4.2 Subjective Perception

The second tenet of Individual Psychology is subjective perception which is the belief that an
individual’s subjective perceptions shape their behavior and personality. Adler believed
people strive for superiority or success to compensate for feelings of inferiority, but the
manner in which they strive is not shaped by reality but rather by their subjective perceptions
of reality or fictions. Fictions are our beliefs about life or the reality of life which may not be
objectively true and existing in the physical world but are true enough to shape how we
experience the world and our behavior towards it. Adler’s ideas on fictionalism originated

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from the book The Philosophy of “As If” where the author believed that fictions are ideas that
have no real existence, yet they influence people as if they really existed. These fictions can
manifest as many different ideologies and beliefs, such as religious concepts like heaven and
hell, personal principles, ethics, and morals. Adler’s fictionalism is consistent with his
teleological view of humanity’s prime motivator in which we are motivated by our goals or
present perceptions of the future or fictions of the future.

4.3 Unity and Self Consistency of Personality

The third tenet of Adler’s theories lies in the belief that our personality and our behavior is
oriented towards a singular goal thus uniting our thoughts, feelings and actions and
eliminating the concept of inconsistent behavior. Although some of our behaviors may appear
as inconsistent, in the context of the final goal, these actions are recontextualized as
calculated albeit probably unconscious attempts to achieve the final goal and achieve relative
superiority. This is because the individual strives towards a singular objective or the final
goal and all separate actions and functions can be understood as parts of this goal. Adler also
proposed a concept named “Organ Dialect”, in which the mind and body are one and the
body speaks a language that expresses an individual’s opinion more clearly than speech is
able to. This is because the body is also part of the united personality.

4.4 Social Interest (Gemeinschaftsgefühl)

Social Interest is the fourth tenet of Adler’s psychology that contextualizes the health of the
personalities of individuals as it aligns to the interest of the community. Social interest comes
from the German word “Gemeinschaftsgefühl,” which means “community feeling.” From
this, we can derive that social interest is the feeling of oneness with others and implies
membership in society and the maintenance of social harmony. According to Adler, the
natural inferiority of individuals necessitates their joining together to form a society, making
social interest a natural condition of humanity. An individual’s lifestyle in terms of their
community can either be “useful” or “useless.” A “useful” person has social interest whereas
a “useless” person does not and is only concerned with oneself. Social interest is not
synonymous with charity however, as charity can come from a place outside of social
interest. Instead we look towards the meaning of the words themselves, “interest” or the
actual desire to aid and benefit society instead of the act itself. This is because many of these
acts can have different ends that are exclusive or even contradictory to social interest and may
only be self-serving. Social interest first forms its roots during infancy in the parent-child
relationship, wherein ideally the parents have genuine and deep-rooted love for their child.
This concept was Adler’s way of measuring psychological health and designates it as “the
sole criterion of human value.”

4.5 Style of Life and Creative Power

The final two concepts constitute the final primary tenet of Adler’s psychology. These two
concepts are intertwined and self-causing. The style of life is developed from the
aforementioned self-consistent personality, and includes the individual’s; goal, self-concept,
perception of others, and attitudes towards the world. Adler described the style of life as “the
separate notes of a composition are meaningless without the entire melody, but the

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melody takes on added significance when we recognize the composer’s style or unique
manner of expression.” Similarly to before, a healthy or “useful” lifestyle is complex,
enriched and dynamic while one that is “useless” is dull and inflexible in its actions. Creative
power in relation to this concept is similar to its relation to the final goal, in which it is our
power to “choose” our style of life. To reiterate, Adler believed that heredity and environment
are the building blocks of our style of life, but it is our own creative power that decides the
architectural design of our personality and our lifestyle. Adler used a low doorway as an
analogy to explain creative power. If you are walking through a doorway too low for you, you
have two choices. You could use your creative power, bend down, pass through, and solve the
problem which is the manner which psychologically healthy individuals use to solve their
problems. Or, you could bump your head and fall back, still instilled with the obligation to
solve your problem you continue to bump your head until you learn to bend down.
Psychologically unhealthy people tend to continuously bump their head into the metaphorical
doorway of life. You can see in the analogy that the environment is predetermined, but
passing through is a matter of one’s free will, this is creative power.

5. Concepts in Adler’s Individual Psychology

5. 1 Inferiority
For Adler, inferiority was an innate and inevitable part of the human experience. This concept
of inferiority usually begins at infancy, as we are fully dependent on others for our survival.
Hence, we become hyper-aware of these feelings of inferiority as we grow up, especially in
relation to our parents. Adler also insisted that the whole human race is “blessed” with organ
inferiorities. These physical handicaps have little significance by themselves but become
meaningful when they stimulate subjective feelings of inferiority. As mentioned before, these
feelings of inferiority are usually compensated by the strive for superiority. Thus, inferiority
isn’t considered as an inherently negative concept but rather serves as the motivation of
adolescent and adult achievements later in life. For Adler, an inferiority complex is “the
presentation of a person to himself and others that he is not strong enough to solve a given
problem in a socially useful way”. When there is conflict between the self-concept and the
ideal self, inferiority feelings arise. And when one acts inferior as a cause of their feeling
inferior, they actively engage in “discouragement” or the inferiority complex. Adler viewed
inferiority as more so a sense of inadequacy. It puts individuals in a minus state or a negative
state that we have a drive to overcome and reduce. All of our strivings are attempts to
overcome said state of inferiority. Adler maintained that our innate sense of inferiority helps
humans to survive while other species became extinct. He characterized feelings of inferiority
as inevitable, universal, and normal.

5.2 Masculine Protest

In contrast to Freud, Adler saw no difference between the inherent psyche of men and women
and maintained that a patriarchal or male-centered society is not natural but instead an
artificial result of historical development. Adler, who was an early supporter of women’s
rights, also proposed the term “masculine protest” to define the will to dominate others and
be seen as a “real man” applying the general strive of superiority in a masculine
socio-cultural context. Instead of the masculine protest being a biological and anatomical

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desire for masculinity, Adler proposed that it is cultural and social practices that lead to
individuals overemphasizing the importance of masculinity. He explained that men repress
their femininity and choose to exaggeratedly perform masculinity in an attempt to
overcompensate for their sense of inferiority. The masculine protest almost always leads to
men setting unattainable, unrealistic and unhealthy goals for themselves and men who have a
strong sense of masculine protest tend to have pathological fantasies of grandeur. The
masculine protest in a woman however, is defined as their repressed desire to be transformed
into a man. He also proposed that if women were given the same opportunities as men, only
then could they have the same success rate with overcoming their sense of inferiority.

5.3 Family Constellation

Adler used the concept of “Family Constellation” to describe the composition of a family and
one’s role in that system. According to Gilliand and James (1998), “the family constellation
mediates the genetic and constitution factors the child brings into it and the cultural factors
the child learns from it. The personality characteristics of each family member, the sex of the
siblings, family size, and the birth order of the children all influence how individuals find
their niche in life.” Subjective perception is also involved in the familial institution as we
engage in creative and subjective interpretations of our roles in our family. It is not “what”
we are that determines our behavior but rather “who we think” we are that has the most
impact on us. We develop expectations that become self-fulfilling prophecies because we
enact in our lives what we believe about ourselves and other people.

5.4 Birth Order

Adler put his theory of individual psychology as well as the concept of family constellation
into application and formed the concept of the birth order. He put great importance in how the
ordinal position of an individual within their family influences their relationships with their
parents, siblings and specific feelings of inferiority. Our birth order may present specific
challenges exclusive to our ordinal position and promote complex relational connections with
our family members, whether that be alliances, rivalries, or dependence. Adler proposed that
birth order was one of the formative factors in developing a lifestyle. General studies of
Adlerian psychology usually identify four main orders, but literature proposes five. These
include;

Firstborns are usually met with a great deal of time and attention from their parents, leading
to them immediately holding a “secure position”. Adler refers to the firstborn as the “reigning
monarch” who is given undivided attention. Following the birth of the successive children,
the monarch is traumatically dethroned as the parents must share their attention and time with
the new addition to the family. The former monarch develops a sense of resentment over that
loss, and conflict arises to regain monarchy. Adler theorized that all firstborns suffer from a
loss of privilege, but only those that were pampered truly harbor great resentment and hatred
towards their siblings. Many different factors affect the magnitude of this resentment,
including the age when displaced and the parental preparation for the new arrival. But the
conclusion is always the same, the firstborn’s place in the family is no longer the same.
Instead of being the lone monarch, the firstborn is now met with the expectation of

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cooperation and responsibility. Adler stated that of all the children within a family, the
firstborn best understands the significance of power and the exercise of it. Firstborns are
prone to conservatism in outlook, and tend to look into the past with nostalgia. They are also
disproportionately invested in organization and preservation of the status quo. Firstborns tend
to become highly organized, responsible, and conscientious. When deficient in social interest
however, firstborns tend to become insecure, suspicious and hostile towards others.

The second-born grows up with the knowledge that parental time and attention is shared,
thus they are not concerned about the loss of power or authority and tend to be optimistic,
competitive, and ambitious. If the firstborn promotes the development of the secondborn, the
latter’s progression becomes positive and healthy. However, if the firstborn harbors great
resentment towards their sibling while excelling in virtually every single area, the
second-born will set unattainable goals that eventually lead to failure. Usually, the interests of
the first and second born diverge and they strive in different directions. The second-born
holds great similarity to the middle child, but is distinct in their relationships towards the
first-born. Great importance is put on how the second child’s interpretations on how they are
treated by the family.

The middle child, similarly to the second-born, learns to share since birth.Such children
often feel as if they are in a difficult and an unfair position. Middle children may either feel
exceeded by their elder and younger siblings, or surpass them. They learn the skills of
manipulation and negotiation from the family politics in which they find themselves. One
potential favorable outcome for middle children is that they are ambitious and develop a
strong social interest. Unfavorable outcomes are that they are rebellious and envious, and
they often experience difficulty being a follower.

The youngest child tends to be pampered, having older siblings look after them as well as
regaining some of the undivided attention the first born lost. They may become “family pets”
and be considered cute. Due to the overabundance of role models in the family by the time
the youngest is born, they may excel over all of the others at establishing their place within
the family. Many youngest children develop a competitive orientation, and they become high
achievers at whatever they undertake. Youngest children who are spoiled and pampered
expect that others will take care of them. As such, they usually become dependent on their
charm to manipulate others to fulfill their needs and find adult responsibility too difficult to
bear. One favorable consequence of being the youngest child is that one gets much
stimulation and loads of opportunities to compete. A potential unfavorable result is that one
feels inferior to everyone.

Similarly to the youngest child, the only child also experiences pampering as they do not
share any attention with any other competitors. Due to this, they experience no sense of
competition and do not develop a competitive spirit. They may, however, over-inflate their
sense of importance. Spending their time alone, only children also develop very imaginative
minds. Only children may attain a lifestyle prone to timidity and over-dependence on others.
They are likely to be deficient in social interest.

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Adler, however, believed that a person’s perceived role in the family constellation held
greater impact to a person than their biological birth order. Adlerians examine the number of
years between siblings and claim that a certain distance may develop their own roles for the
siblings. For instance, if there is a family of three; an oldest child of 18 years old, the middle
being 15 and the youngest being only one they may resemble a family constellation
comprising an oldest child, a youngest child, and an only child, rather than the traditional
eldest, middle, and youngest.

Research on Adlerian birth order theory is mixed. Although Adler claimed that the second
born were the highest achievers, research has found that the firstborns achieve the most and
are often more intelligent than other siblings.

One of Adler’s birth order’s greatest contributions is its role in helping psychologists
determine why siblings from the same family are no more similar in personality than those of
another family. This is because the family is not a shared environment but rather, a set of
niches that provide siblings with their respective perspectives in life. The personalities of
siblings differ from each other because they develop different strategies and mechanisms to
garner parental favor that align with the situation they were given.

Figure 2 & 3, Birth Order Charts and Respective Characteristics

5.5 Life Styles

Adler maintained the organizational nature of the behavior of humans and that each
individual has their own pattern of responses towards given situations - a lifestyle. Lifestyle
provides a theme and consistency unique to our individual lives and unites our behavior as it
is oriented towards it. According to Ansbacher and Ansbacher , lifestyle can be compared to
the melody of a song. “We can begin wherever we choose: every expression will lead us in
the same direction—toward the one motive, the one melody, around which the personality is
built.” These lifestyles can include our goals, our perspectives of ourselves and the world
around us, and the behaviors and mechanisms we put in place when we wish to achieve an
outcome. According to Adler, we usually form our lifestyles as children at the age of five and
it’s difficult to recalibrate these lifestyles at a later age. During the process of developing our

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lifestyles at the aforementioned age, we construct statements about the personal and social
conditions that are necessary for our security, these are called lifestyle convictions. Adler’s
theory proposed four convictions:
1. The self-concept - convictions of the self
2. The self-ideal - convictions of what one should be or what one is obligated to be to
belong (in the world or in the community)
3. The Weltbild, or “picture of the world” - convictions of the “not-self” or everything
outside of the self (the world, nature, other individuals) and what the “not-self”
requires of the self.
4. The ethical convictions - individual’s development of a right and wrong.

Outside of these lifestyle convictions, Adler also identified four different lifestyles:
1. Socially useful type - These people have a high sense of social interest, and engage in
high activity to achieve their goals. People who’ve developed this lifestyle are usually
mature, positive, well adjusted, and considerate of others. They do not strive for
personal superiority, instead choosing to solve problems that hinder community
benefit. People of this lifestyle assist others and work for social and political change.
2. Ruling type - Contrary to the former type, these individuals have little to no social
interest, and put high effort on dominating and controlling others and focus on
personal superiority. The ruling type has a dominating and antisocial perspective on
society. They’re behavior is characterized as sometimes being asocial. Adler
frequently categorizes criminals and juveniles in this type.
3. Getting type - People in this lifestyle aim to achieve everything they want from
others without any personal effort or struggle, having both low social interest and low
activity levels. Everyone owes something to them, yet they owe nothing to anyone.
4. Avoiding type - In this category, people evidence low social interest and low activity
levels. They avoid failure and feelings of inferiority through avoiding situations that
present the chance of. They detach themselves from any involvement in work, friends,
or society.

Three factors interfere with development of social interest: (1) organ inferiorities, (2)
parental pampering (Why should I love my neighbor when he has not done anything for
me?), and (3) neglect of a child (Society owes me).

5.6 Maladaptive Behavior or Psychopathology

According to Adler, the one factor that underlies all abnormal behavior is an underdeveloped
social interest. Individual psychology conceptualized maladjustment as an overinflated
feeling of inferiority and the overexaggerated attempt to overcome that through excessive
striving for superiority. Adler viewed psychopathology with a feeling of discouragement,
hopelessness and catastrophizing by believing that the world will never become better. When
people lose the courage to face demanding life situations, they move from a position of
inferiority to an inferiority complex. Their inferiority becomes internalized and they become
unconsciously convinced of it, and as such, develop abnormal behavior to divert themselves
away from it. Adler believed the people only develop poor mental health when they act as if

12
they were inferior. There are numerous factors to consider when talking about maladaptive
behavior but in regards to individual psychology there is usually three fundamental external
factors that promote abnormal behavior similar to the factors that promote low social interest;
1. Exaggerated physical deficiencies - while physical deficiencies are not sufficient
enough to cause maladaptive behavior, the accentuated feelings of inferiority that vary
from person to person can affect it. These subjective feelings may be encouraged by a
defective body, but ultimately it is a progeny of the creative power.
2. Pampered Lifestyle - Pampered children tend to have a weak social interest and a
strong desire to perpetuate the parasitic relationship they once held with their parent/s.
When parents pamper their children excessively, they rob them of their independence,
initiative, and self-confidence. Pampered children do not learn self-reliance; they
approach life from a self-centered orientation. Pampered children tend to expect the
devotion and providence of others and expect others to meet their needs. They create
a self-centered fictional world and believe that they are entitled to most of life’s
privileges.
3. Neglected Lifestyle - Children who feel unwanted and unloved tend to borrow from
these emotions in creating their style of life and their subjective perception of
themselves and their world. Their inferiority gets manifested by suspicious behavior,
isolation, and maliciousness

5.7 Safeguarding Tendencies

If Freud has his Defense Mechanisms, Adler has his Safeguarding Tendencies, but put into a
conscious light. Similarly to Defense Mechanisms, over-exposure and perpetuation of the
Safeguarding Techniques can lead to inauthenticity and the obscuring of the final goal
therefore leading to maladaptiveness. What sets one maladaptive individual from another is
their own personal safeguarding techniques they employ to protect themselves from feelings
of inferiority. Adler used the term “safeguarding tendencies” to describe his belief that people
create patterns of behavior to protect their exaggerated feelings of self-esteem against public
disgrace. The type of safeguarding technique employed dictates the disorder the individual
develops. Adler maintained that the choosing of the safeguarding technique is a choice of free
will and creative power. Some of the most common safeguarding techniques include:

Excuses are the most common safeguarding, usually expressed through statements “Yes, but”
or “If only”. In the “Yes, but” excuse, people initially express the action they desire to
achieve– ”I would like to model” –and then they follow-up with the excuse– “but I don’t
have the confidence to do so,” and so on. The “If only” excuse is similar to the “Yes, but”
however they tend to blame other people for the inexecution of their desired outcome, “If
only my parents weren’t so conservative, I would model,” and so on.

According to Adler, people use aggression to safeguard their exaggerated superiority

complexes and their fragile self-esteem. Safeguarding by aggression may take the form of
depreciation or accusation.
● Depreciation - is the tendency to undervalue another person’s accomplishments while
overvaluing one’s own.

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 ● Accusation - is the tendency to blame others for one’s own failures.
● Self-accusation - the tendency to devalue one’s self in order to inflict suffering to
others while protecting their own magnified feelings of self esteem. May include
self-torture, masochism, depression and suicide as a means of hurting the people close
to them.

Withdrawal is the technique wherein you put distance between yourself and your
difficulties, in other words “running away from your problems.” Adler outline four basic
types of withdrawing:
1. Moving Backwards - tendency to safeguard one’s fictional goal of superiority by
reverting to a more secure period in life (similar to regressing).
2. Standing Still - to not move in any direction and to avoid any and all responsibility
by insulating themselves against any threat of failure.
3. Hesitating - procrastinations give them the excuse, “It’s too late now.”
4. Constructing Obstacles - building a straw house to show that one can knock it down
and through overcoming it, they can protect their own sense of self-esteem and
prestige.

6. Adler’s Individual Psychology Techniques/Therapy

6.1 Goals of Individual Psychology

Adlerian theory's primary objectives focus on conquering feelings of worthlessness and
improving social oneness with others, understanding your lifestyle, relationships, and past
experiences. It emphasizes self-awareness, and the ability to cope with the feeling of
mediocrity and inadequacy in relation to others. He believed that when an individual is
encouraged and feels adequate and treated with respect, he or she will be more responsive
and amicable. Adler contends that when people feel loved and have meaningful relationships
with the rest of society, they can be their best selves. The propensity to act out or behave in
socially deviant ways, on the contrary, arises from inadequacy as well as feeling outcast in
society. Adlerian values clarification allows one to look at prior beliefs in a new way that
encourages positive change. Adlerian counseling focuses on 4 goals:

● Establishment and maintenance of an egalitarian relationship - in which the

members' benefits, duties, and obligations are shared equally.
● Analysis of client’s lifestyle - a distinctly Adlerian tool for identifying an individual's
core beliefs (about self, others, and the world), life rules, and goals.
● Interpretation of the client’s lifestyle in a way that promotes insight - a shared
effort to comprehend the lifestyle interpretations, values, and aims that are responsible
for the dysfunctional pattern or symptom.
● Reorientation and re-education of the client with accompanying behavior change
- the way of assisting the client in changing the way they comprehend their world,
their stance of significance, their sense of security, and their achievements and gives
the client the support and encouragement they necessitate to cope with feelings of

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 inferiority more effectively and to cultivate appropriate strategies for overcoming
these feelings.

6.2 Phases

Adlerian theory is regarded as a pillar in modern psychotherapy and individual psychology. It

is frequently employed in counseling and psychotherapy as well. In therapy, Adlerian theory
benefits individuals by helping them shift their perspectives on their childhoods, themselves,
and the causes of their behaviors.

Therapists assist individuals in gaining a deeper comprehension of their objectives and

driving forces by employing this method. An important goal of this approach is to get rid of
any inferiority complexes to lead a more positive and more productive life.

These goals are achieved through the four phases of Adlerian Therapy:

6.2.1 Establishing the Relationship

In the world of psychotherapy, it is essential to establish a strong relationship between the
therapist and the individual undergoing therapy. This initial phase of Adlerian Therapy is
achieved by setting clear objectives and boundaries to form a strong foundation of trust. The
therapist must prioritize establishing a therapeutic alliance with their client to ensure effective
treatment. A therapeutic alliance is based on mutual collaboration and cooperation that helps
the therapist gain a better understanding of the client's unique concerns and needs. Recent
studies have emphasized that it is a critical factor that significantly impacts the outcome of
therapy. By building a solid relationship, the clientele can feel safe and secure, which allows
them to open up about their concerns and work towards achieving their goals.

Establishing a strong relationship built on trust is crucial for therapists to help individuals feel
safe and open up about their emotions and experiences. Through asking personal questions
and establishing rapport, therapists create an environment of empathy, warmth, and
acceptance that fosters a sense of safety for their clients. This approach also generates hope,
reassurance, and encouragement that helps clients feel heard and understood, leading to
lasting progress in their mental health journey. Building trust is the cornerstone of any
successful therapy session, and it is essential to creating a safe space where clients can feel
heard and understood. The bond of trust formed between therapist and client is what sets the
stage for continued growth and healing. Without it, therapy would be nothing more than a
sterile exchange of words.

This relationship fosters growth and allows individuals to heal from past traumas or navigate
current challenges. A healthy therapeutic relationship can be life-changing for those seeking
help. Therefore, this phase plays a vital role establishing a strong and healthy relationship
with their clients, ultimately leading to better treatment outcomes.

15
To signify the equality in the therapeutic alliance, the counselor and the client sit facing each
other with chairs at the same level. Believing that their clients are discouraged when they
begin therapy, Adlerians strive to create a supportive and encouraging therapeutic
relationship. In contrast to Freudian Psychologists, Adlerians tend to take a more active role
in therapy.

5.2.2 Performing Analysis and Assessment

Each and every person comes into the world with a distinct set of potentials and a limitless
array of opportunities for growth which are determined by their actions and individual
differences. Personalities are shaped by learning in a social context: an individual grows, gets
control over their surroundings, and establishes their identity over time—how they approach
and resolve difficulties in their daily lives. The analysis and assessment phase of Adler’s
theory placed a strong emphasis on conscious thought and social factors. Contrary to Freud’s
theory, Adler believes that humans have the capacity to decide objectively based on their
values and beliefs. He infers that by understanding difficulties, people can get past
unprecedented emotions. He stated that people are happiest when they are pursuing the
common good, or when they are taking actions that benefit society as a whole.

The therapist makes an effort to uncover more information about the client's past, particularly
early memories, familial interactions, and how the client may have acquired certain ways of
thinking that are no longer beneficial or adaptable for them by asking the client to tell their
life stories. By asking the client to narrate their life story, the events that they deemed
significant enough to include in their retelling become significant in assessing them. To have
a comprehensive understanding, Adlerians use a structured interview to assess their patients.
During this phase, a few common themes that therapists tackle are:

The lifestyle of a person reflects who he/she is as an individual, what he/she believes in, and
how he/she views the world. A lifestyle is the set of behaviors, attitudes, preferences, moral
codes, economic status, etc. that collectively make up a person's or a group's way of living
affects a person’s mental processes and ultimately, the way he/she reacts to certain citations
when he/she comes face-to-face with it.

An individual’s personal history plays a vital role in terms of assessment. It is crucial to be

in possession of his/her personal history as it includes a set of medical data that enables a
person to manage and keep track of his/her own health—which can also aid in determining
why a person acts in a specific way and what factors resulted in their behavior. Moreover, a
personal history includes a scope of possible illnesses, surgeries, physical examinations, tests,
and screenings. Information on medications taken as well as health practices like diet and
exercise may also be included.

Relationships are one of the most important aspects of a person’s life. People who are more
socially connected to family, friends, or their community are physically healthier, happier,
and live longer, with fewer mental health problems than people who are less connected. It’s

16
not just the number of people a person surrounds themselves with, and it’s not whether or not
someone is in a committed relationship, but it’s the quality of the close relationships that
matters. Living in conflict or within a toxic relationship is more damaging than being alone.
Furthermore, it may play a significant role in a person's therapeutic process.

A person’s career is a part of their identity—this is what makes career planning so important
when it comes to learning and development. Making the right choice can only lead to
happiness and success in an individual’s chosen field; a bad decision, on the other hand, can
hinder a person’s development and damage his/her prospects. Further elaborating, the
association between mental health and job satisfaction is mediated by the inherent tools that
each and every person has in order to to help him/her through challenging circumstances, as
well as the connections between those who live and function together in a society; with the
positive component of mental health having a positive effect on job satisfaction and the
negative component of mental health having a negative effect.

One of the most significant risk factors for some psychiatric diseases is deemed to be family
history. Family members have more in common than just genes. They also have similar
settings, routines, way of lives, and personal practices, all of which can affect the way a
person’s mind operates.

The body, mind, and soul are interrelated. Beliefs and spirituality are two factors that
possibly influence an individual’s way of thinking. Speaking with a religious or spiritual
leader can provide many persons with mental illnesses a sense of hope, but it is not entirely
impossible that some will appear to promote someone's faith while taking advantage of them
when they are emotionally weak. This is because being emotionally weak can cause a person
to become vulnerable, making it easier to persuade him/her to engage in unhealthy behavior
and practices.

Previous studies have shown that childhood experiences have an impact on an individual's
health as they age. The things individuals experience as children influence the way they
behave and who they are as adults. In a way, adulthood is a deeper continuation of a person’s
childhood. Early childhood memories impact how people view the world, other people, and
how they view themselves as grown adults. When a person reaches adulthood, he/she will
attempt to fulfill their childhood fantasies and connect to their inner child in a way that is
acceptable to society and culture’s standard. For that reason, humans develop rules in order to
safeguard their self-beliefs because it may leave them exposed—this can be connected to the
feeling of inferiority and the goal of superiority. This could result in the development of
dysfunctional behaviors, which can then result in mental health issues. For instance, children
who have overprotective parents are more likely to develop insecurities, experience social
anxiety, a sense of estrangement, and other negative health behaviors as they get older.

When a person has recurrent thoughts, it hinders them from moving forward. Otherwise
known as resistance, rumination is the repetitive consideration and over-analysis of
unpleasant emotions and distress, as well as the reasons behind and effects of those emotions.

17
It impedes change. Furthermore, rumination's repetitious, detrimental nature can exacerbate
pre-existing mental health issues like anxiety or sadness. This also applies to motivations as
to why people do certain things. For example, while some driving forces are biological,
others have social and personal roots. People are driven to look for food, water, and sex, but
they are also driven by social acceptance.

As Adler once said, humans were brought into this world inferior, which is why as they grow
older, they begin to strive for superiority. Inferiority complex is an entirely or partially
unconscious psychological perception of inadequacy. The term "complex" came to mean the
collection of emotionally charged, partially or even completely repressed concepts centered
on and connected to such inferiority complexes. Many neurotic disorders such as anxiety and
depression could be linked to an overcompensation for this sensation.

Analysis of Client’s Basic Mistakes

After obtaining the summary and common themes of the client’s life story, the counselor
examines the client’s basic mistakes. Mosak (2005) lists five basic mistakes that people
commonly make:
1. Overgeneralizations - “People are no good.” “People are untrustworthy and
unworthy of your trust.”
2. False or Impossible Goals of Security - “If I want to be loved, I should please
everyone.”
3. Misperceptions of Life and Life’s Demands - “Life is nothing but an
inconvenience.”
4. Minimization or Denial of One’s Worth - “I will never be as good as I want to be.”
5. Faulty Values - “I put myself first and disregard who gets hurt in the process.”

Early Recollections as an Assessment Technique

Adlerians put emphasis in assessing the hidden meanings behind the first memory a client
develops. The therapist asks the client to recall their earliest recollection, the age they were
during the event, and the feelings they felt in relation to the event. According to Adler, it does
not matter if this memory even happened or not, because the meaning lies in what the client
perceives as happening. According to him, we select the memories that coincide with our
basic beliefs about ourselves and the world. After surfacing a memory, the counselor follows
up with questions such as:
● What part of the memory stood out most in your mind?
● What are you feeling as you recall this memory?
● Where is this feeling located in your body?
● Are you an observer or an active participant in the memory?
● What are you trying to convey to the world with this memory?
Additional questions related to early recollections include:
● Who was present?
● How are different people portrayed?
● What is the world like (friendly, hostile, cooperative, sad)?

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Analysis of Client’s Dreams
Adlerian Dream Analysis involves examining segments of dreams that may shine a light on
the specific feelings of inferiority that pervades the themes of dreams. Adler believed that
dreams are a way of dealing with our insecurities and assists us in trying out strategies in
overcoming them or manifest as a form of wish fulfillment, exposing our hidden fears and
desires. He believed that dreams were a way of compensating for our failings and
shortcomings of our waking life. Adler also believed in the proportional relationship between
the number of dreams you experience and your problems, with you having more dreams
when you have more problems and vice versa. Adlerians maintain that dreams were
purposive and serve as a bridge to prepare clients in connecting future desires to present
actions. Adler also lectured therapists to not analyze common meanings behind dreams,
because the symbolism of a theme in a dream varies from person to person. The only
common meanings he asserted to themes in dreams include; falling (striving from above to
below), flying (striving from below to above), being chased (feelings inferiority in relation to
others), and being naked in public (fear of being found out). The emotional tone of a dream is
highly significant, perhaps more so than the symbols.

5.2.3 Insight
The therapist offers an evaluation of the client’s situation. During this phase, the therapist
suggests theories about how past experiences may have contributed to the issues that the
client is currently facing; they will frequently provide their own interpretations, beliefs, and
ideas on prior experiences that may have influenced their present situation and emotions, as
well as suggest probable solutions with accordance to their assessment and analysis of the
client’s behavior. Adlerian therapy stresses the purposive nature of the client’s behavior
however, integrating analyses and insight on how certain behavior relates to certain goals.
Notably, the therapist leaves it up to the client to decide whether these theories are accurate
and useful, presenting them as assertions, theories and possibilities rather than concrete facts.
The counselor uses statements such as “Do you think it's possible that…” , and clients usually
respond by verifying the interpretation (through reflexive smiles, nodding, or verbal
confirmation), denying it, or offering an alternative interpretation. It's important that the
therapist urges the client to review their theories and interpretations on your own and see if it
is applicable to their current situation. Ultimately, it’s up to the client to judge if they are
truthful and helpful.

5.2.4 Re-orientation
The purpose of the last phase, or re-orientation, is to help the client gain or regain the courage
to face life’s difficulties and redirect any goals or insights that need redirecting. With the
assistance of the counselor, the client will become knowledgeable on what habits and
behaviors to keep and what to discard in order to reach their goals. During this phase, there is
also an emphasis in heightening the social interest of the client. The most prominent
technique used in this phase is encouragement, among a number of other techniques.
Adlerians also put importance in upholding time limits; with sessions with children lasting
for 30 minutes and adults lasting for 45 to 50 minutes. Instead of introducing new material in
the last few minutes of the session, the Adlerian therapist summarizes the contents of the

19
session with the assistance of the counselor. Assignments are also typically given at the end
of the session.

Techniques Used in Re-orientation

Encouragement is both a principle and a technique that pervades all of Adlerian therapy,
especially those concerning children, as encouragement is necessary for a child’s healthy
development. Children become what they are encouraged to become (Dinkmeyer & Dreikurs,
2000). The encouraging therapist:
● Values the client as he or she is
● Demonstrates faith in the client
● Tries to build a positive self-concept within the client
● Gives the client recognition for his or her efforts
● Concentrates on the strengths and assets of the client

Asking “The Question” is a technique that assists clients in identifying their goals and
making them clearer and seem more attainable and real. “The Question” includes statements
such as, “If you were suddenly well, what would be different in your life?” and “What would
you be doing if you didn’t have any symptoms?” Questions such as these help clients become
aware of the change they wish to see in their lives and leads to the declaration of goals such
as a specific job, a passion or vocation, a desire for love, marriage, and virtually every other
goal. Clients are usually asked this question at the beginning of the counseling session.
Others have termed this, “the miracle question.”

Acting “As If” is a technique in which clients are encouraged to act as if they possessed the
qualities they think they lack that leads to the hindrance of goal-attainment. They are asked to
do this to encourage them to try on new behavior and new roles. The ultimate goal of this
technique is to show clients that a change in behavior must occur if they wish to elicit
specific responses from others.

Using the “Push Button” Technique includes asking the client to visualize themselves
pushing a button. Then, the counselor will ask the client to visualize a pleasant memory as
vivid and as detailed as possible. Afterwards, the counselor will ask the client to take note of
the feelings they developed while picturing the pleasant memory and engaging in the
push-button exercise. Then, the counselor will employ the same directions, only this time,
asking the client to imagine a negative experience in the same magnitude of detail and
vividness. The counselor and the client repeat these two exercises several times with the
ultimate goal of making the client aware that they can exercise inner control on their
emotions at any given time.

Catching Oneself permits clients to become aware of their self-destructive behaviors and
thoughts without the feeling of guilt pervading them. When clients start to revert back to their
maladaptive behavior out of habit, they are advised to “catch themselves” when they are just
about ready to regress and instead substitute new behavior. The goal is to help clients change

20
maladaptive old habits.

Task setting is the assigning of homework assignments to encourage practice of the new
behavior. With this, the client is given the necessary preparation and removes the threat
partially from the situation. To promote social interest, tasks in community service are
usually employed, such as voluntary work around different communities.

Brainstorming alternative beliefs and convictions is usually done after identifying the faults
in the thinking of the client. The counselor helps the client substitute healthy thinking in place
of maladaptive and inferior thinking, promoting development.

“Spitting in the Client’s Soup” is a technique developed after Adler saw a person refuse to
eat their soup after a group of boys spat in it. His intent is to metaphorically spit on the
client’s soup of excuses and hidden goals. When counselors identify the underlying goals of
maladaptive behavior, they deprive the client of the secondary gains the behavior provides.
Pointing out the hidden agendas in client’s behavior may lead to them participating in the
behavior less or in other words “not eating the soup.” Even though it is not a fool-proof way
of stopping a client’s maladaptive behavior, it greatly diminishes the perceived rewards of the
behavior, encouraging the client to pursue alternative solutions.

4. Criticisms and Limitations

Research on a number of Adlerian concepts, such as birth order and social interest, has been
extensive and mixed and yet, little empirical research has been conducted on their
effectiveness in adult and child therapy. Another limitation of Adlerian theory is that Adler
failed to systematize his thoughts in a way that is easily understood, choosing to spend more
time teaching the principles of his theory than organizing and presenting a well-defined and
systematic theory. His writings can be difficult to understand and to follow. Adlerian therapy
also offers a niche set of conditions, taking a substantial amount of time to process. The
techniques employed might be unfavorable to those who are less insightful and those who do
not wish to explore their family history.

III. Script
John Paul: History
Fernald: Five Main Tenets and Key Concepts (Maladaptive Behavior, etc.)
Kheanna: Introduction to and Goals of Adlerian Individual Psychology
Patricia: Introduction to the Phases of and the
Jillian: First Phase of Adlerian Individual Psychology
Yuan: Second and Third Phase of Adlerian Individual Psychology
Fernald: Fourth Phase of Adlerian Individual Psychology
[Example Scenario] (to be passed in April 11)
Jillian: Conclusion

IV. Conclusion

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