Posted: September 7th, 2024

Adler’s Personality Theory

Adler’s Personality Theory

Influence by previous theories
Alfred Adler, an Austrian psychologist, is best known for the concept of inferiority complex and its crucial role in personality development. Alfred Adler worked closely with and also together with other renowned psychologists such as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Jun and Freud are highly influential psychologists in contemporary theories. The two psychologists had had some interest in the unconscious. Jung, Freud, and Adler worked together in some theories (Allen, 2016).
The knowledge and experience he had while working with the duo influenced his theory. Sigmund Freud laid so much emphasis when developing the psychosexual theory. He emphasized that life is centered on tension and pleasure. Alfred Adler disagreed on Freud on this issue, and this influenced the development of his personality theory and maintained that individuals face personality difficulties because of inferiority feelings. Adler believed that people are always driven by a desire to make realize their full potential. The theory of Libido by Carl Jung emphasized that libido is a psychic energy that motivates an individual towards intellectual and spiritual development. Alfred Adler was influenced by this theory since in his approach he argued that the desire to become superior drives one towards higher achievement (Sherman, & Dinkmeyer, 2014).
Has the theory changed over time?
The theory has evolved over time to include different aspects that help in understanding aspects of individual psychology. One of the ways that this approach has evolved is the addition of a teleological aspect to enhance explanation of its primary elements. From a teleological perspective, inferiority feelings could be converted through the examination of the unconscious self. Teleologically, corrective measures need to be put in place so as to meet the desire of an ideal self. Failure to address these needs leads to the development of individuals who are power hungry and aggressive. Teleology asserts that the use of humor could help raising inferiority issues (Engler, 2014).

References
Allen, B. P. (2016). Personality Theories: Development, growth, and diversity.
Engler, B. (2014). Personality theories: An introduction. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage
Learning.
Sherman, R., & Dinkmeyer, D. (2014). Systems of family therapy: An Adlerian Integration.
Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Jung

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