Alfred Adler Alfred Adler was born on February 7, 1870 in Vienna; he was a second son and third child

of a Jewish Merchant and wife. Alfred did not walk until he was four years of age he had suffered from rickets. Alfred was an Austrian medical doctor and psychologists he was best known best for the founder of individual psychology. Alfred Adler is credited along with Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud as founding influences of modern psychology (Molly Fisher, 2001). Adler examined personality around the same time frame as Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud (Molly Fisher, 2001). According to Molly Fisher 2001, His work was well known as The Practice and Theory of Individual Psychology (1923). Adler changed his theory on personality during his life time, he believed people focused on controlling over their life Adler believed in motivating force is behind our behavior, and that claiming desire we have to fulfill our potentials becomes closer to our ideals. The reason Adler calls his theory individual psychology is because he believed every individual is different and there is no previous theory that applies to just one individual (Molly Fisher, 2001). Adlers theory included four important aspects the development of personality, striving towards superiority, psychological health, and the unity of personality. Alfred came up with the term inferiority complex which is a lack of feeling worth. Adler believed we all wished to get through difficulties and strives the best. Adler saw an individual will strive to reach a goal by attainment of which we should feel strong or superior (NNDB, 2011). Another important thing to Adler was superiority complex this

complex developed when an individual tried to conquer their inferiority complex by ending their feelings that exist. Adler felt that people try to overcome their feelings of inferiority to get to superiority (NNDB, 2011). While trying to overcome inferiority Adler claimed that every person had idea about what the perfect self would be like. He called this the fictional finalism which is when a individual applies clearer direction to decision that are to be made concerning oneself. Adlers felt individuals may have an idea about who they are but they barely understand. According to Molly Fisher 2001, Adler wrote also in a mental Phenomenon we discover a new the characteristic of pursuit of a goal and all our powers experiences, wishes and fears defects and capacities fall into line with this characteristics (Molly Fisher, 2001). Adler states its easier to fight for ones principles than to live up to them principles (NNDB, 2011 )This statement is what sums up what Adlers is theory on personality means in a whole.

References:

Department of Psychology, Molly Fisher (2001) Alfred Alder Retrieved April 1, 2011 from http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/adler.htm

NNDB (2011) Alfred Adler retrieved April 3, 2011 from http://www.nndb.com/people/256/000097962/