Inferiority Theory
Adler’s initial ideas on psychopathology were outlined in A Study of Organ Inferiority. From his medical work, he noted that deficiencies in the development or functioning of a bodily organ frequently initiated a compensatory process. Thus, a kidney enlarges when the other is removed, the heart responds to a diseased valve with hypertrophy of cardiac muscle, while individuals with poor eyesight tend to exhibit keen acuity in the other sense modalities.
Moving to the psychological domain, Adler cited instances such as Demosthenes, who developed from a child stutterer into one of the most brilliant orators of ancient Greece, and the many writers and composers (e.g., Milton and Beethoven) whose best work occurred during periods of sensory impairment. He even concluded that a feeling of inadequacy is the basis of every voluntary act. Inferiority, according to Adler, may serve as a springboard towards the next level of development and is a basic driving force in the personality.
Sense of inadequacy is an inevitable aspect of early experience, arising from the infant’s smallness and helplessness. This may be exacerbated by mental and physical handicaps and infirmities, and engender a severe sense of discouragement on the child’s part. In this respect, Adler referred to the inferiority complex, a phenomenon which may also be influenced by factors within the family constellation.
