Alfred Adler and Karen Horney Theories

I agree with Alfred Adler when he states that a sense of inferiority drives people to succeed. I can
relate to this theory because I am very affected by others’ actions around me. If somebody that I
idolize is prospering in a certain area, I may feel inferior and strive to meet his or her level. For
example, when running with a partner who is faster than me, I always push myself and increase my
pace significantly. Many people are driven by comparison—they continually measure their own
abilities against others’, experiencing a decrease in self-esteem when they perceive themselves as
inferior. This idea rings true for me and is present in my life. To bring Adler’s theory into a modern
context, I notice my friends comparing their physique to supermodels’. Essentially, they are
comparing themselves to the incomparable; most photos in magazines have been doctored and these
models are astonishingly thin. Consequently, they internalize their perceived flaws and feel inherently
inferior, developing an Inferiority Complex. Adler’s Inferiority Complex is ever present in modern day.
This complex can be evoked in someone who lives by the media’s implicit expectations of humans,
but also occurs for other reasons. Sometimes, I think I suffer from an Inferiority Complex.

Thinking about my upbringing from an Adlerian perspective, my complex may be present because of
my position in my family system. I am the first child in my family and I have one sister. This could
have been a factor in the development of the complex because when my sister was born, she
commanded a lot of attention. My parents began to accommodate her needs and therefore, I
assumed that I didn’t deserve the plethora of attention that I was receiving before her birth. Plausibly
because of this shift, I began to feel deficient in many areas of my life. I relate to Adler’s theory of
Teleology. Though humans may be affected and shaped by their upbringing, there is always room for
change and growth. I believe that people are not condemned to be governed by mechanistic impulses
that develop from situations in childhood. Though I possess an Inferiority Complex, by being aware of
this and striving for change, I am able to change my thoughts and behavior.

With conscious effort and a holistic approach, these attitudes can be changed and overcome. Adler
was the first person to combine holism and psychotherapy. As a student in Holistic Counseling
Psychology, I find this to be a very pertinent merging. To simply work with the mind is not enough—it
is most effective in therapy to take into consideration a client’s mind, body, spirit and lifestyle. As
somewhat of a feminist, I resonate deeply with the theories of Karen Horney. My biggest qualm with
early psychological theory is the notion that women are inferior to men. So, to learn about a female
psychologist who refutes this idea is refreshing. Her quote regarding her theory of Womb Envy, “Is not
the tremendous strength in men of the impulse to creative work, in every field, precisely due to their
feeling of playing a relatively small part in the creation of living beings, which constantly impels them
to an over compensation in achievement?” helps me to think critically about the origin of sexism. It is
an interesting and critical point that relates back to Adler’s theory of inferiority.

She may be suggesting that men feel subconsciously inferior to women because they are not
involved in the creation of human beings. She proposes that they may be compensating for their
inability to procreate by acting exceedingly masculine and oppressive towards women. I cannot
choose just one of these theories to sum up my personality. If I had to choose, I would pick Adler’s
Inferiority Theory in conjunction with Horney’s theory of self-analysis. As I stated before, I am
constantly striving to become the best version of myself, which is oftentimes in relation to feelings of
inferiority. This self-growth would be less meaningful if it didn’t include the self-analysis and
introspection piece that Horney brings in. So, together, these theories best describe the evolution of
my personality.

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