Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory emphasizes the unconscious mind, psychosexual development, and the influence of early childhood experiences on personality. Alfred Adler, a former follower of Freud, broke away and developed his own theory called individual psychology. Adler believed that people are motivated by social interests and a desire to overcome feelings of inferiority.
| Freud | Adler | |
|---|---|---|
| Personality | Personality has three parts (id, ego, superego) in constant conflict; driven by unconscious sexual and aggressive instincts. | Personality is an integrated whole; driven by a need to overcome inferiority and strive for superiority. |
| Development | Development is largely complete early in life and driven by how the child navigates innate drives and family dynamics (e.g. Oedipus complex). | No rigid stages. Emphasizes early social environment and family influences (e.g. pampering, neglect, birth order) on personality. |
| Therapy | Psychoanalysis: lengthy, insight-oriented therapy to uncover unconscious conflicts from the past. Uses techniques like free association and dream analysis to explore repressed memories and emotions. | Adlerian therapy: shorter, goal-directed counseling focusing on present behavior and conscious thought patterns. Emphasizes encouragement and building social interest to overcome feelings of inferiority |
| Social Influences | Individual psychology is mainly intrapsychic; social factors are secondary. Society is internalized as the superego, but biological drives (libido and aggression) are primary motivators. | Social context is fundamental. Humans have an innate potential for social interest (community feeling) that must be nurtured. |
Personality Theories
Freud’s view of the ego:
Freud’s psychoanalytic theory divides personality into three components – the id, ego, and superego – which are often in conflict.
He believed behavior is driven by unconscious instincts and urges, primarily sexual and aggressive in nature.
In Freud’s view, personality is the product of how these internal forces clash and are balanced.
For example, the ego must mediate between the primitive desires of the id and the moral demands of the superego, and unresolved inner conflicts could lead to anxiety or neurosis.
Adler’s view of the ego:
Adler’s theory, in contrast, views the individual as a unified whole, not a collection of competing parts.
He introduced the concept of the inferiority complex, where feelings of lacking worth drive a person to compensate and strive for superiority.
According to Adler, this striving for improvement is the key motivational force behind personality, rather than sexual or aggressive urges.
He asserted that personality is shaped by one’s style of life, meaning the unique way each individual pursues goals and deals with inferiority feelings.
Unlike Freud, Adler saw conscious and unconscious processes as working together toward the person’s goals, rather than being in constant battle.
Development
Freud:
Freud proposed a stage-based model of psychosexual development.
He believed personality is largely formed in early childhood through a series of stages (oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital), each characterized by how the child seeks pleasure.
Conflicts or fixations at any stage can impact adult personality. For instance, the Oedipus complex during the phallic stage (around ages 3–6) is critical for developing the superego and gender identity.
Freud argued that by about age five, the core of one’s personality is set
Development, in Freud’s theory, is driven by how children navigate internal sexual and aggressive urges and the constraints imposed by reality and parents.
Adler:
Adler did not outline psychosexual stages; instead, he emphasized the role of early social environment and family dynamics in development.
He agreed that childhood is formative, but focused on social experiences — how a child fits into the family and society.
Adler famously highlighted birth order as influential: for example, he theorized that oldest children may become responsible achievers, while younger ones might be pampered or rebellious due to their family position
Central to Adler’s developmental view is that children experience inferiority (due to being small and dependent) and thus form a lifelong pattern of striving to overcome those feelings.
Rather than libido stages, social interests and goals guide development; a child’s early relationships and perceived place in the social group (family, peers) shape their future personality style.
Childhood feelings of inferiority spur compensation and goal-setting. Personality development is seen as a continuous process of striving for goals and adapting to social context, not just resolving childhood sexual conflicts.
Therapeutic Approaches
Freud’s Psychoanalysis:
Freud’s therapeutic method, psychoanalysis, aims to uncover and resolve unconscious conflicts from the past.
The therapist takes an interpretive, expert role, helping the patient bring repressed thoughts to consciousness.
Key techniques include free association (having the patient say whatever comes to mind) and dream analysis, based on Freud’s view that dreams are the “royal road” to the unconscious.
The process is typically long-term and intensive.
By exploring early childhood memories and unconscious wishes, Freud believed patients could achieve insight into their deep-seated problems and release pent-up emotions (catharsis), leading to symptom relief.
The therapeutic relationship often involves analyzing transference (the patient’s projections of earlier feelings onto the therapist) as a window into unconscious issues.
Adler’s Individual Psychology
Adler’s approach, known as Adlerian therapy or Individual Psychology counseling, is more goal-oriented, brief, and collaborative than Freud’s.
The focus is on the patient’s present life and conscious choices rather than exhaustive childhood excavation.
Adlerian therapy uses encouragement to help clients overcome feelings of inferiority and develop a healthy, socially connected lifestyle.
Therapist and client work collaboratively (egalitarian relationship) to identify and change mistaken beliefs and habits. Homework and practical steps are often used to foster new skills and attitudes.
Techniques often involve exploring the client’s family constellation and early recollections to understand their style of life, but always with an eye toward fostering greater social interest and personal growth.
The goal is to help the individual build confidence, a sense of belonging, and adopt new behaviors aligned with community feeling and personal goals, rather than simply uncovering unconscious impulses.
Overall, Adlerian therapy is practical and educative, often including homework and focus on specific problems, in contrast to Freud’s more open-ended exploration of the psyche.
View on Social Influences
Freud:
Freud acknowledged social factors mainly through the concept of the superego, which internalizes societal and parental values, and in his later cultural writings (e.g. Civilization and Its Discontents).
However, the crux of Freudian theory emphasizes biological drives and intrapsychic conflict over social context.
Freud saw human behavior as largely the result of unconscious instincts clashing with social rules (leading to repression).
In development, he focused on the child’s relationship with parents (as in the Oedipus complex) rather than broader culture or community.
Social relationships were secondary to how well the individual’s inner impulses are managed.
In sum, while Freud did consider the role of culture in shaping the superego and neuroses, he downplayed broader social and cultural influences in favor of universal psychosexual processes.
Adler:
Social influences are central in Adler’s theory. Adler believed humans are inherently social beings who thrive on community, cooperation, and social interest.
He introduced Gemeinschaftsgefühl, or “social feeling,” describing a healthy personality as one deeply connected with and concerned for others.
Adler argued that many psychological problems (e.g. neuroses, criminality) stem from a lack of social feeling or an unhealthy degree of self-centeredness, often rooted in early feelings of inferiority or social exclusion.
He was also ahead of his time in considering cultural and societal factors like equality and gender roles; Adler highlighted the importance of egalitarian relationships and even advocated for the rights of marginalized groups.
In therapy and development, he stressed cultivating social interest and a sense of belonging as the way to mental health.
In short, Adler viewed the individual in a social context, with success and well-being defined largely by one’s ability to contribute to society and form positive social connections
Neurosis
Adler’s perspective on neurosis:
- Organic Basis: Adler’s concept of neuroses differs from Freud’s concepts in its attempt to define their organic bases. Adler considered the organic basis the starting point for his consideration of neurosis and therapeutic approach.
- Feelings of Inferiority: For Adler, the fundamental psychological element in neurosis is the feeling of inferiority, which is founded in an inferior organ. The neurosis then consists of an effort to overcome this feeling of inferiority, and its outward signs and symptoms are the manifestations of those dexterities developed to this end.
- Overcoming Inferiority vs. Reality: The neurotic’s effort to overcome feelings of inferiority becomes the primary object, taking them away from reality on a false path. They spend their life endeavoring to overcome the feeling of inferiority rather than in contact with reality; this is the fictitious goal of the neurotic.
Freud’s perspective on neurosis:
- Freud’s views on the origin of neuroses are connected to the unconscious mind and repressed conflicts, often stemming from early childhood experiences.
- Psychosexual Development: Freud’s theory suggests that early childhood experiences and stages (oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital) shape our adult personality and behavior.
- Defense Mechanisms: Freud proposed several defense mechanisms, like repression and projection, which the ego employs to handle the tension and conflicts among the id, superego, and the demands of reality.
Comparison
- While both Freud and Adler addressed the topic of neurosis, Adler uniquely connected neurosis to feelings of inferiority rooted in organic factors. Freud focused more on unconscious conflicts and psychosexual development as the basis for neurosis.
- One source suggests that Adler’s views are not essentially irreconcilable with Freud.
- Both psychoanalysis and Adlerian therapy are effective and have a focus on emotion and the relationship between the therapist and client.
