Alfred Adler (1870 – 1937) was an Austrian psychiatrist and the founder of Individual Psychology. He emphasized social interest, birth order, and the importance of belonging in personality development. Adler introduced the concept of the inferiority complex, which influences human motivation and behavior.
Born in Vienna, he studied medicine and initially worked as an ophthalmologist before shifting to psychiatry. Adler was part of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic group but later broke away due to ideological differences. He believed that striving for superiority and social connectedness shaped personality more than unconscious drives.
In 1912, Adler founded the Society for Individual Psychology. He promoted education, social reform, and child guidance clinics, influencing modern therapy. By the 1920s, he became a well-known lecturer in Europe and the United States. Adler died in 1937 during a lecture tour in Scotland, leaving a legacy that still impacts psychology today.