Questions and Answers on Psychological Health
1. What is a developmental path to psychological health? To neurosis?
According to Adler, both psychological health and neurosis starts from feelings of inferiority with the final goal of superiority. In the development path to psychological health, one strives for perfection or completion in accordance to social interest. They strive to become better people while cooperating with others. In contrast, the path to neurosis is when one acts in his or her own personal superiority. They see people as enemies or obstacles standing in the way of their goal. This is the destructive path that leads to neurosis. Adler believes that healthy people strive for perfection/completion and the only way towards that is cooperating with others so we all can benefit.
2. What is social interest and how is it related to psychologically healthy development?
Adler defined social interest as “a striving for a form of community which must be thought of as everlasting, as it could be though of if mankind had reached the goal of perfection.” In other words, he believed that all human beings an inborn instinct to live in harmony with others to create a more perfect society. Adler believed that to see this come alive, we must be on a constructive path to psychological health. As previously stated, psychological health involves cooperation with society by helping each other grow into more “perfect” or “complete” individuals.
3. What are the four major lifestyles or personality types, and what are the differences between them?
The four major lifestyles/personality types are ruling/dominant, getting/leaning, avoidant, and socially useful. The ruling/dominant type was probably neglected during their early stages of life and as an adult shows intense defense mechanisms to protect their self-image. The getting/leaning type was typically spoiled by their mother and as an adult show high level of aggression. The avoidant type was typically looked down by their mother and showed no support
According to Adler, both psychological health and neurosis starts from feelings of inferiority with the final goal of superiority. In the development path to psychological health, one strives for perfection or completion in accordance to social interest. They strive to become better people while cooperating with others. In contrast, the path to neurosis is when one acts in his or her own personal superiority. They see people as enemies or obstacles standing in the way of their goal. This is the destructive path that leads to neurosis. Adler believes that healthy people strive for perfection/completion and the only way towards that is cooperating with others so we all can benefit.
2. What is social interest and how is it related to psychologically healthy development?
Adler defined social interest as “a striving for a form of community which must be thought of as everlasting, as it could be though of if mankind had reached the goal of perfection.” In other words, he believed that all human beings an inborn instinct to live in harmony with others to create a more perfect society. Adler believed that to see this come alive, we must be on a constructive path to psychological health. As previously stated, psychological health involves cooperation with society by helping each other grow into more “perfect” or “complete” individuals.
3. What are the four major lifestyles or personality types, and what are the differences between them?
The four major lifestyles/personality types are ruling/dominant, getting/leaning, avoidant, and socially useful. The ruling/dominant type was probably neglected during their early stages of life and as an adult shows intense defense mechanisms to protect their self-image. The getting/leaning type was typically spoiled by their mother and as an adult show high level of aggression. The avoidant type was typically looked down by their mother and showed no support