Understanding Human Nature

Book Code: 1111022235820

Alfred Adler

ABOUT THE BOOK

Originally released in 1928, this publication aimed to familiarize the public with the core tenets of Individual Psychology. It concurrently serves as a practical illustration of applying these principles to daily interactions and personal life organization. Derived from a series of lectures at Vienna's People's Institute, the book strives to highlight how individual misbehavior impacts the harmony of social and communal life. Its goal is to help individuals recognize their errors and guide them toward achieving a harmonious adjustment to communal life. Adler emphasized that while mistakes in business or science are regrettable, errors in life conduct are often perilous to life itself. The author dedicates the book in the preface to the mission of shedding light on humanity's journey toward a deeper comprehension of human nature.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alfred Adler (1870–1937),  an Austrian medical doctor and psychotherapist, founded the school of individual psychology. He proposed that contributing to others fosters a sense of worth and belonging. Adler coined the term "inferiority complex," emphasizing its role in personality development. His psychology, termed "Individual Psychology," viewed humans as integrated wholes. Adler emphasized the social element in individual re-adjustment and extended psychiatry into the community. Adler published over 300 works, including key publications like "The Practice and Theory of Individual Psychology" (1924).

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 7
BOOK - I: HUMAN BEHAVIOR .............................................. 19
1. THE SOUL............................................................................... 19
2. SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE PSYCHIC LIFE ....................... 27
3. CHILD AND SOCIETY ......................................................... 33
4. THE WORLD WE LIVE IN ................................................... 43
5. THE FEELING OF INFERIORITY AND THE
STRIVING FOR RECOGNITION............................................. 65
6. THE PREPARATION FOR LIFE ......................................... 85
7. SEX ..................................................................................... 110
8. THE FAMILY CONSTELLATION.................................... 136
BOOK - II: THE SCIENCE OF CHARACTER .................... 146
1. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS ..................................... 146
2. AGGRESSIVE CHARACTER TRAITS............................ 171
3. NON-AGGRESSIVE CHARACTER TRAITS ................ 208
4. OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF CHARACTER .................. 225
5. AFFECTS AND EMOTIONS ........................................ 237
APPENDIX ........................................................................ 249
CONCLUSION ................................................................. 255