FTCE Guidance and Counseling Practice Test

Adlerian theory centers on how people develop through social context and purposeful striving, not just internal drives. It sees human nature as fundamentally psychosocial: individuals are motivated by a need to belong, to contribute to the community, and to feel significant. Personality grows as people cope with life tasks (such as work, love, and social relationships) and adjust their behavior to fit their social world. This includes concepts like feelings of inferiority, compensation, and especially social interest—the desire to cooperate and benefit others.

This perspective contrasts with focusing on unconscious urges (a Freudian angle), biological instincts driving behavior, or genetic destiny determining personality. Instead, Adler emphasizes how relationships, culture, and community shape who a person becomes, making the psychosocial aspect the best fit for describing Adlerian theory. For example, a child’s goal to be helpful in family and community roles reflects this social, purposeful orientation.