Some thoughts about the psychodynamic theory of personality. /part 10/

Adler's Basic Principles of Relative Human Nature - Adler seeks to revise psychoanalytic theory as a complete theoretical system and not to accept it as a "neo-Froudist." Rather, Adler can be seen as a harbinger of humanistic and phenomenological psychology. The auspices of Adler's theory of relativity of human nature are confined to the understanding of: - Freedom-determinism; - rationality-irrationality; - Holism-elementalism; - constitutionalism-inviviralism; - variability-invariability; - subjectivity-objectivity; - proactivity-reactivity; - homeostasis-heterostasis; - knowledgeableness - unfamiliarity.

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In the individual psychology a detailed scheme for studying the child is developed. It is based on Adler's understanding of the structure and dynamics of the personality and is aimed at clarifying the peculiarities of the development of the feeling of inferiority, the ability to compensate, the ways of forming social interest. The issue of human neurosis and working with depressed clients is being considered. Adler adopts a single "impulse" or motivational force at the base of our behavior and experience. He calls this power a pursuit of perfection. It is the desire of each of us to realize his potential, to get closer to his ideal / like the idea of ​​self-actualization /. Previously, he calls it an aggressive impulse to refer to our reaction when other impulses, such as our need to eat, to be sexually satisfied, to do something, to be loved, to encounter an obstacle.

Adler associates motivation with compensation or the quest to overcome, as we all have problems, shortcomings of some kind. Adler was largely influenced by the approach called holism. In order to reflect the idea that we should see people in their entirety, not in parts, he decided to refer to his / her approach to individual psychology / individual literally means "inseparable". Moreover, instead of talking about the human person in the traditional way, about the internal traits, structures, conflicts, etc., he prefers to talk about a lifestyle. Another important idea is that of social interest or public feeling. Since we are social animals, we can not exist without the others. Adler believes that the concern for others is not just congenital, nor learned, but a combination of both. This is related to our propensity to experience empathy. Adler wanted to avoid a misunderstanding: the notion that social interest was another expression of extroversion. Concern for others is a concern for the family, for the community, for society, for humanity, even for life. Social concern is to be useful to others. On the other hand, the lack of social interest for Adler is the very definition of mental disorder. The question is, what makes people so selfish.