This is a list of the most common theoretical concepts that define Individual Psychology. For a detailed list and explanation of these concepts, listen to Michael Maniacci’s talk here.

soft determinism

The “hard sciences” were booming in the 1800’s when Alfred Adler was practicing medicine and creating his theory of human psychology. Discoveries in biology, physics, and chemistry led to Nobel Prizes, fame, and glory, and forever changing human lives (usually for the better). Psychologists tried hard to match this scientific mindset and attempted to create the equivalent of a hard science but for the human mind (Watson, 1913).

Alfred Adler, however, had a different view, which was unpopular for his time. He believed that events only partially influence a person’s mental productions. Just because a musician wins a Grammy does not necessarily mean that they will keep winning Grammys every year and/or have a successful career. They might. But it is not guaranteed; it is not determined.

creativity

So if someone’s thought, feelings, memory, or artistic success is not 100% determined by external events or past events, then what causes it? How does it come into existence? This is one of the points that made Alfred Adler’s theory of reality different from the popular theories of this time. His answer to these questions was…the person. This was an unusual belief in academic and religious circles of the time. The popular views were that a person’s behavior is caused by nerves (Jean-Martin Charcot), by their past (Sigmund Freud), by biological heredity, by the environment (Watson, 1913), or by the Devil. Although they were different from one another, the commonality among these theories of reality was that they left very little room (or none) for the person’s agency. Adler disagreed with this point, which somewhat cost him his career.

The person has the capacity to create. As such, the musician in our previous example is not guaranteed endless winning of Grammy’s; they will need to continue to create thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and musical elements that make it more likely to win again. Similarly, just because a person has had a series of unhealthy relationships does not necessarily mean that the next one will also be unhealthy. Things may change. Sure, it may be very difficult, but the person does have a lot of say in this matter.

teleology

Consequently, if the individual has the capacity to create their own psychological events (e,g. thoughts, feelings, memories, dreams, behaviors, etc.), then why do they create the ones that they do? Do they create them randomly? Although it may feel that way at times, it is actually not so. This is where the idea of purpose comes in.

Teleology refers to the study of purpose. It is one of the most central concepts in Individual Psychology, suggesting that individuals create their thoughts, beliefs, feelings, memories, behavior, etc., with a purpose in mind. Often times, this purpose remains unknown, out of awareness.

Someone’s purpose can be discovered through logic (e.g. by employing Socratic Questioning) and/or by simply sensing it in your body (e.g. by employing the process of Focusing made popular by Eugene Gendlin). Paying attention to someone’s verbal language can also help. For instance, phrases like “in order to” or “so that” usually portray the purpose for something (e.g. “I clicked on this website in order to learn about Individual Psychology.”). Therefore, the action after the phrase “in order to” represents the purpose for the action before the phrase “in order to.”

holism