ATS2400 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Superiority Complex, Inferiority Complex, Psychological Types
16 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
On addiction
Adler investigated the causes and treatments of substance abuse disorders - primarily alcoholism
and morphism - as these were significant social issues during his lifetime. He was one of the main
researchers of the disorders at the time. He applied his organ inferiority theory to addictive
behaviours. He attempted to establish a relationship between addiction to drugs and sexual
fulfilment. He examined the negative impacts of early childhood problems (eg. neglect/abuse) and
relaxing/maintaining one’s well-being on poor lifestyle choices/ outcomes (addiction to drugs etc).
On homosexuality
Adler classified homosexuals as being “failures of life”. He put them in the same category as
prostitutes and criminals. He believed in connection between homosexuality and an inferiority
complex towards one’s own gender. His view was different from Freud and Jung. “Homosexuality
is believed to take less courage than a normal relationship, as it is avoiding social & natural
responsibilities.”
11. Parent education
A child’s optimal development should be the responsibility of not only the immediate family
members, such as the Mother or Father, but also broader society. Therefore, Adler argued that
members of society (teachers, social workers and so on) should undertake training in parent
education to assist in the formation of a child’s democratic character. Children who feel inadequate
or are abused by either pampering or neglect, are viewed as more likely to develop inferiority and
superiority complexes.
Key points of Theory :
Individual Psychology
Claimed that foremost human drive is not sexuality but striving for superiority. He viewed such
striving force as a universal drive to adapt, improve oneself , master life challenges and acquire
new skills.
Superiority complex
A psychological defense mechanism that compensates for an inferiority complex. One assumes he
is superior when he is not, and this false success compensates him for the state of inferiority that
he cannot bear. Feeling of inferiority is similar to stress and anxiety
Inferiority complex
A psychological condition of feeling unnecessarily inadequate and ill-equipped to live normally and
to perform tasks. Three groups of children most significantly demonstrate inferiority complexes -
those with organ inferiority, those who receive pampering and those who are neglected/abused.
Document Summary
Adler investigated the causes and treatments of substance abuse disorders - primarily alcoholism and morphism - as these were signi cant social issues during his lifetime. He was one of the main researchers of the disorders at the time. He applied his organ inferiority theory to addictive behaviours. He attempted to establish a relationship between addiction to drugs and sexual ful lment. He examined the negative impacts of early childhood problems (eg. neglect/abuse) and relaxing/maintaining one"s well-being on poor lifestyle choices/ outcomes (addiction to drugs etc). Adler classi ed homosexuals as being failures of life . He put them in the same category as prostitutes and criminals. He believed in connection between homosexuality and an inferiority complex towards one"s own gender. His view was different from freud and jung. Homosexuality is believed to take less courage than a normal relationship, as it is avoiding social & natural responsibilities. : parent education.
