ADLER--is our first example of a FULFILLMENT THEORY, of which there are 2 subtypes:

PERFECTION VERSION (ADLER belongs here)-people have an ideal or set of goals in life and achieve them through hard work and discipline. And

ACTUALIZATION VERSION-A person has a vivid sense of who s/he is and acts consistently with that image and self-understanding.

ADLER’S CORE

1. ORGAN INFERIORITIES

2. FEELINGS OF INFERIORITY, AND

3. COMPENSATION.

CORE TENDENCY, TO ACHIEVE SUPERIORITY OR PERFECTION.

The WILL TO POWER is ideally expressed by becoming a perfect member of society, i.e., working for the social good. In Adler’s theory people seek to INCREASE tension.

DEVELOPMENT, there are 3 RELATED dimensions of importance.

1. FAMILY CONSTELLATION, (BIRTH ORDER)

OLDEST

MIDDLE, OR

YOUNGEST

2. Is the child raised to be CONSTRUCTIVE or DESTRUCTIVE, and

3. Is the child raised to be ACTIVE (encouraged to initiate actions) or PASSIVE (provided things without initiating actions--spoiled)

PERIPHERY

The STYLE OF LIFE develops by 5 years. There are 4 types ranked in order of most (1) to least (4) beneficial to society:

1. Active-constructive, the socially useful type

2. Passive-constructive, the getting type

3. Passive-destructive, the avoiding type

4. Active-destructive, the ruling type.

The center of the LIFE STYLE is called the CREATIVE SELF, which reflects Adler’s belief that people are PRO-ACTIVE AND GOAL-ORIENTED, rather than re-active (which Freud would believe).

ADLER’ THERAPY

1. Establish a relationship

2. Identify the patient’s life style

3. Observe transference as it occurs

4. Offer the patient a life style summary, and options to consider in changing the life style

Therapy works through the process of transferring the healthy features of a relationship with a therapist back to the life style of the patient--give a patient the experience of contact with a fellow human being and then transfer this “AWAKENED SOCIAL FEELING” to others.

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