The paper aims at comparing and contrasting Alfred Adler’s theoretical concept related to social interest, role it plays in individual’s life, fictional goals and striving for superiority as a fundamental fact. It is a comparison with Biblical concepts related to social interest and superiority among others.

Alfred Adler a reknown Austrian psychiatrist founded the school of individual psychology (Michael, 2000). His main work related to science of living, which emphasized the uniqueness of individual and relationships with society.

A major comparison between Adler’s theory and Biblical concepts is the concept of individual psychology related to what people should put into consideration regarding faith. Adler views the person as an organism in which all parts function cooperatively even in subordination to an overall plan for the whole life. These are major sentiments reflected in Biblical teachings (Michael, 2000). The body works as a unit and in other concept; it means that society is a collection of people who work in unity to achieve life goals. The social interest of this theory plays a very important role in our lives, struggling for superiority and achievement of fictional goals.

In contrast, Adler argued that an individual can respond to a perceived inferiority with lesser or greater inferiority feelings. He argues that an individual is not determined by objective factors that Adler refereed to as man’s creative work.

The Biblical teachings or concepts on this matter are contrasting in the aspect of equality and self-determination. The Bible teaches that all individuals are equal and have the capacity to exist in their own way of life depending on their moral uprightness (Michael, 2000). Every individual in the society as per Adler’s theory wants to be superior but Biblical concepts promote equality.

References

Michael, D. (2000). Brian Wilson: An Adlerian Analysis of the Theoretical Concepts of Social Interest and the Role it Plays in our Lives. London: Praeger