Individual Psychology Theory By Alfred Adler

Žeňa Laver

Alfred Adler was an Austrian psychologist and doctor born in 1870. He took part in some of Sigmund Freud's researches. He soon found out that his ideas and opinions on human mind were very different from Freud's theories. Freud's well known theories are mostly about libido and sexual ideas' impact on one's mind. Adler's main study however describes humans as quite, one could say egotistical beings. It's main topic is the so called inferiority complex and how human's character is formed in the first stages of life also touching the subject that Adler studied-the imperfection of organs and how it affects child's self confidence and the impact it has in the future.

I was truly impressed by the part of his study that talks about how we humans are made to depend on others and our social surrounding. Biologicaly we are not made to survive in the wild by ourselves no matter if we think that we are more superior than animals. Humans can't run too fast, have no claws or teeth sharp enough unlike some other animal species, we are also very prone to illnesses and cannot fullfill our needs without the help of others. In less words- we depend on society as a whole as it depends on the individuals.

Source: Alfred Adler, Understanding human nature (Člověk jaký je)