Individual psychology, a school of thought founded by Alfred Adler, posits that human behavior is driven by two primary forces: the drive to overcome feelings of inferiority and the innate importance of social connections. In contrast to Freud's focus on sexual stages, Adler emphasized that development occurs through social interactions and that a key goal is to work cooperatively for the common good.

Individual Psychology

Alfred Adler emphasized the importance of social connections, arguing that childhood development emerges primarily through social development rather than the sexual stages outlined by Sigmund Freud. He noted the interrelatedness of humanity and believed human happiness lies in working together for the common welfare.

Adler's View on Social Development

Alfred Adler was a colleague of Sigmund Freud and the first president of the Vienna Psychoanalytical Society. He became the first major theorist to break away from Freud's inner circle, subsequently founding his own school of psychology called individual psychology, which focuses on the human drive to compensate for feelings of inferiority.

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Among the prominent theorists who adapted Freudian principles, four are particularly notable: Alfred Adler, Erik Erikson, Carl Jung, and Karen Horney. Each of these figures made significant contributions by building upon or diverging from Freud's original work.

Key Neo-Freudian Theorists

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Carl Gustav Jung developed his theory of personality surrounding an idea of the Psyche. He describes the Psyche as the main part of his theory, with four different aspects going into it. First is the Psychic Energy, also known as “Libido.” Next, is the principle of opposites, followed by the principle of equivalence. Finally, there is the principle of entropy.

Jung's Theory of Personality

Erik Erikson was an influential theorist whose path into psychoanalysis began when, as a young art school dropout, he met Anna Freud while tutoring children in Vienna. Encouraged by her to study the discipline, Erikson earned his diploma from the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute in 1933. As Nazism spread across Europe, he fled to the United States that same year. He is best known for proposing the psychosocial theory of development, which suggests that an individual's personality develops continuously throughout the lifespan.

Erik Erikson

Alfred Adler

Karen Horney was one of the first women to be trained as a Freudian psychoanalyst. After moving from Germany to the United States during the Great Depression, she developed her own theories that diverged significantly from Freud's, placing greater emphasis on cultural factors and the potential for self-realization.

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