Adler's Personality Theory

Adler's Personality Theory was created by Alfred Adler (1870 - 1937). Adler called his
theory Individual Psychology because he believed that people were unique and that no theory
created before his applied to all people. He originally followed Sigmund Freud's teachings but
left after a disagreement of Freud's theory which says that the drive of human behavior is sex.
Adler's Personality Theory is similar to that of Freud's Personality Theory except that Adler's
drive for human behavior is the need to overcome the feelings of inferiority.
Adler also had 4 different psychological types that described people based off of their energy
levels.

Inferiority is a feeling that humans feel since they are born. They
grow up being dependent on their parents and feeling like they cannot do
anything on their own. It is humans drive to overcome inferiority and
become superior which causes humans to act. Humans act to achieve
perfection and superiority. Those that do feel like they are being
overwhelmed by feelings of inferiority will develop an inferiority
complex. An inferiority complex brings an exaggerated feeling of
inferiority on the sufferer and they will feel less motivated to strive for
superiority.
His theory also contains the effects of the order of the family.
Children who are the only child will get pampered which will cause the
child to feel inferior when left to do things on their own. Those who are
firstborn get all the attention at first but then all that attention goes
towards the middle child. Now the firstborn feels neglected and inferior
and develops to reserved and conservative. The middle child will be
competitive and constantly try to beat the firstborn. The youngest child
will be pampered and will feel inferior when left to do things by
themselves. The youngest child could also feel the need to constantly beat
their older siblings like the middle child.

Adler's Psychological Types

Ruling Type
This type refers to
those who will push
others in order to gain
superiority. They have
a lot of energy which
causes them to push
others out of their way.
This type contains
bullies, sadist,
alcoholics, etc.

Learning Type

Avoiding Type

Socially Useful Type

Those who fall under

These people are
This is a healthy
this type are sensitive people who survive by person. They have the
and build a shell around avoiding life. They
right amount of
themselves. They have have the lowest energy
energy and take
low energy levels. They levels. They usually
interest in others.
are dependent on others
become psychotic,
to help them with life
living in their own
difficulties. When
worlds.
overwhelmed they
develop phobias,
obsessions, anxiety, etc.

There are problems with Adler's Personality Theory however. One weakness of this
theory is that it isnt very scientific. Adlers theory is based of on the strive for superiority and
the feelings of inferiority but you cannot measure or test such a thing. Also the theory doesnt
explain every personality of every human. A firstborn child doesnt always feel like the attention
he was receiving went to the middle child nor does the middle child always feel the need to
surpass the firstborn child.

Adlerian Psychology
Theory of Human Behavior