Question

How did Adler differ from Freud?

Answer 1

• Motivation: Freud believed behavior is driven by unconscious sexual and aggressive urges, while Adler focused on conscious goals and the need to overcome inferiority.
• View of Personality: Freud divided personality into id, ego, and superego; Adler saw it as a unified and goal-oriented system.
• Importance of Childhood: Freud emphasized psychosexual stages, while Adler focused on early social experiences and family dynamics.
• Unconscious vs. Conscious: Freud stressed the unconscious mind; Adler highlighted conscious thoughts and decisions.
• Therapy Style: Freud’s approach was interpretive and focused on uncovering hidden conflicts, whereas Adler’s was encouraging and focused on building confidence and social interest.

These differences mark Adler’s theory as more positive, social, and forward-looking compared to Freud’s more conflict-based model.