Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler (1870-1937) was an Austrian psychiatrist and psychotherapist who founded Individual Psychology, a major school of psychoanalytic thought that emphasized the social nature of human beings and the drive toward superiority as the primary motivational force. Breaking with Freud over fundamental theoretical issues, Adler developed an approach that influenced existential psychology, humanistic psychology, and contemporary cognitive-behavioral therapies.
Early Life and Background
Born in Vienna to a middle-class Jewish family, Adler was the second of seven children. His early life was marked by health problems—he suffered from rickets and was unable to walk until age four. This experience of vulnerability shaped his later emphasis on compensation and the drive toward superiority as fundamental human motivations.
Adler qualified as a physician and initially practiced ophthalmology before turning to psychiatry. He became associated with the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society but broke with Freud in 1911 over fundamental theoretical differences, particularly regarding the role of sexuality and the structure of the psyche.
Individual Psychology
Adler’s Individual Psychology proposes that humans are fundamentally social beings driven by a striving for superiority or perfection. This drive represents the attempt to compensate for feelings of inferiority—the universal experience of being small, weak, and dependent that everyone experiences in childhood. The goal is not dominance over others but self-perfection, the development of one’s potential.
Adler emphasized that humans are best understood in their social context. The family constellation—birth order, sibling relationships, family atmosphere—shapes individual lifestyle and psychological development. The individual cannot be understood apart from their social embeddedness.
Key Concepts
Adler introduced several influential concepts. Birth order influences personality: first-born children often feel dethroned by younger siblings and may develop responsible, authority-oriented personalities; later-born children may be more rebellious and creative; only children may struggle with independence.
Life goals, established in early childhood, guide behavior throughout life. These goals, often unconscious, represent attempts to overcome feelings of inferiority and achieve superiority. Understanding these goals helps explain apparently irrational behavior.
Social interest—the capacity to cooperate with others and contribute to social welfare—represents the hallmark of psychological health. Healthy individuals develop social interest, finding satisfaction in contributing to others and society.
Legacy
Adler’s influence extends far beyond psychoanalysis. His emphasis on social factors, the whole person, and the future orientation of behavior influenced existential and humanistic psychology. His work on birth order, lifestyle, and the importance of social interest continues to inform family therapy, counseling, and educational practice.
References
Adler, A. (1927). Understanding Human Nature. Greenberg.
Ansbacher, H.L. & Ansbacher, R.R. (Eds.). (1956). The Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler. Basic Books.
