The following questions, answers, and comments about Classical Adlerian philosophy, theory, and practice have been excerpted from discussion forums, newsgroups, and e-mail correspondence. The text has been edited minimally for clarity and readability. New topics will be featured each week. Your questions may be posted on the Classical Adlerian Discussion Forum at Behavior OnLine. All of this material is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the expressed consent of Dr. Stein.
| 16. Existentialism and the Minus Feeling | 19. The Place of Values in Psychology | 23. Social Comparison and Depreciation |
Question from Forum: In "Denial of Death" Becker promotes Otto Rank's idea that the truth of our insignificance overwhelms us as youths (and adults I guess). Thus the felt minus begins. Becker then trivializes Adler in a few sentences. It is helpful to me, though, to think of the striving as a story the individual makes up about what it means to "be" someone or overcome an also made up "weakness." When I listen I'm listening for the "validation" story. I'm wondering if anyone else has put an existential twist to the "striving" idea? It seems Adler clearly did not as I have never seen him quoted concerning Heidegger or other existentialists. Thus the overcoming or striving concept seems to be taken as a given - its source or cause not explored so there are many discussions like the above. What is it? What's it really mean, etc.Dr. Stein: Heinz Ansbacher has commented on existentialism and Heidegger in The Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler (p.16) and Superiority and Social Interest (p.7-9). For another "twist" on the roots of striving, read the following excerpts from Alexander Müller's unpublished manuscript "Principles of Individual Psychology."
To what extent is the feeling of inferiority a part of the normal development of a child and of human beings in general? According to a formulation by Adler: "to be human means to have a feeling of inferiority." ... "The historical progression of mankind is to be seen as the history of the feeling of inferiority, and man's attempt to resolve it." ... "Who can seriously doubt that the pitiful individual human being was given as a blessing a strong feeling of inferiority that strives for positiveness, security, and overcoming?" Adler, therefore, sees the development of mankind as the result of the surmounting of an inferiority feeling that, for better or for worse, is part of human nature.According to our view, the inferiority feeling, in the broad sense of the remarks above, is a very strong incentive, a trigger mechanism, but not the sole cause of man's evolution. We believe that the primary impetus for the development and unfolding of man has its roots in his immanent creative power.
Perhaps "creative power" can be described as something that we experience, but is not accessible to reason. If one considers character as not innate or fixed, then the question arises: who or what shapes character? Is it education or the environment and people close by, or is it what a person experiences in earliest childhood? Are events decisive or is it how we experience them? On what do how one relates to one's environment and to personal experiences and how the person assimilates them depend? These are questions to which no conclusive answers can be given. However, the following seems important to us: if one does not adhere clearly to determinism, then there remains a question mark with regard to the manner of human behavior. Neither predisposition nor the environmental effect necessarily explain a person's basic behavior. The unique individual character entails an X-factor that can be traced back to nothing else but what we attempt to describe as "creative power."
Question from Forum: Adlerian psychology is very much a values-oriented psychology. However, values have had a somewhat tenuous place in much of psychology. Therapists in a post-modern tradition often talk about therapy being non-judgmental, non-hierarchical, non-instructive (as much as possible), with no assumption of objectivity or truth. Some therapists argue that the therapist has no right to impose his or her values on the client. (My view, however, is that values shape much of what these therapists do even though they might not espouse this in their discussions of theory or practice.) Where do you see the place of values in Adlerian therapy? What if the therapist's values clash with the client's values?Dr. Stein: Very clear, explicit values are at the core of Adlerian theory, philosophy, and practice, providing personal and professional orientation, direction, and inspiration. The client's values may also be explicit, but are more often only implicit in their interests, actions, and feelings. Consequently, we frequently gain clearer impressions of clients' values from what they do, rather than from what they say, especially if there are contradictions between the two.
Metaphorically, values are like a personal compass on a private map of life. Both may have varying degrees of error, leading the traveler in the wrong direction and providing faulty pictures of what will probably be found. A new "map of probability" can be co-constructed by client and therapist through a series of Socratic questions. Socrates and his students searched for universal truths -- Classical Adlerians and their clients search for common sense. "North" for Adler represented the feeling of community, cooperation, and contribution to social improvement. "South" led to egocentricity, domination, and exploitation. Each of these directions have somewhat predictable psychological and social consequences.
Some values, like, prestige, power, wealth, pleasure, and security, if embraced without a sufficient concern for the welfare of others, may eventually lead to mutual isolation, unhappiness, and hostility. By contrast, the pursuit of higher values like truth, beauty, or justice, when combined with an interest in the well-being of others, may lead to mutual fulfillment and significant social progress.
In a somewhat dialectical fashion, the "cost/benefit ratio" of different directions can be explored and compared in psychotherapy. The client is always free to choose and sustain any direction. There will be no clash of values between client and therapist as long as we do not try to persuade the client to think the way we do. The clash will be between the client's values and their inevitable consequences in life.
Question from Forum: Reading about the universality of inferiority feelings caused me to wonder if you were familiar with the concept of 'downward social comparison'--a topic of some interest now among academic social psychologists such as Tom Wills. One of the implications of the theory is that people like bad news (as in TV news) because it improves their own self-assessment by comparison with the worse circumstances of others.Dr. Stein: I was not aware of the current topic of 'downward social comparison' in academic social psychology.
In 1911, Adler wrote about the neurotic tendency to depreciate others as well as over-value one's own achievements. He mentioned several strategies for enhancing one's self esteem by disparaging others.
"The depreciation of the partner is the most usual phenomenon in neurotics. In some cases this may be obvious. In others this may be deeply hidden."Depreciation of the partner, idealization, and solicitude are very common dynamics that lead to distance and resentment in couples and families. At a larger scale, a cleaning compulsion may provide the bearer with a massive 'downward social comparison' to everyone in the world who is "dirtier"."Idealization is one of the most effective attitudes of the neurotic to measure thumbs down, so to speak, a real person by an ideal, since in doing so he can depreciate him as much as he wishes."
"I have found a further interesting kind of disparagement among neurotic patients in their solicitude, their anxious behavior, and their fears for the fate of other persons. They act as if without their aid the others would be incapable of caring for themselves."
Alexander Müller has also written on the topic of depreciation.
"The tendency toward depreciation can be described as the passive form of striving for superiority; the attempt to overtake everyone else in whatever capacity. Where there exists a high degree of striving for self-enhancement a person cannot accept the idea that another could be more talented, capable, or superior, that is more "worthy," than he. If he should doubt his ability to overtake another then he can resort to trickery: denigrating the other. A giant is made to appear as a midget."Do the academic social psychologists recognize and credit the early Adlerian contributions?
Comment: Interesting. As to your question of whether Adler is cited as a source, I don't know, though I doubt it. It's worth noting that downward comparison is not seen as neurotic, but as a general characteristic of people.
Comment from Mailing List (added 11/24/98): It occurred to me that watching the news, making comparisons with the plight of others, etc. may also serve for some at least, (I think I feel this way alot), as a reminder to not get stuck in egocentric self pity. Other's difficulties are often a reminder that one's own life is not really so bad - a wider perspective is attained, perhaps a way we can also become more aware of our interconnectedness, rather than from a depreciation tendency. One may also respond with empathy, sympathy and a sense that something could be done to help.
Henry T. Stein, Ph.D., Director
Alfred Adler Institute of Northwestern Washington
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