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Psychoanalytic theory of personality becomes an important instrument for analyzing the personality of Hanna Schmitz from the psychological approach
point of view.
b. Inferiority Complex
This part concerns with the senses of inferiority complex, the mechanism, and the causes of inferiority complex. The senses of inferiority complex are going
to be described in two points; inferiority feeling complex and inferiority symptom complex which both are proposed by Alfred Adler. The mechanism of
inferiority complex discusses the direct and indirect demonstrations. The causes of inferiority complex cope with the failure in striving for the intrinsic necessities
of life, striving for self-concept and self-esteem, striving for security, and striving for power.
1 Senses
The senses of Inferiority Complex applied by the writer in this study are the theories taken from An Individual Psychology Theory of Personality by Adler
1956. He divides the two senses as inferiority feeling complex and inferiority symptom complex; these senses are described based on how the inferiority
complex can be seen pp. 256-258.
a Inferiority Feeling Complex
As has been said earlier, an inferiority feeling complex is the ―abnormally‖ increased inferiority feeling. The disease of abnormally increased
inferiority feelings may vary under different circumstances. Adler 1989
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proposes that a personality theory could not be exclusively based on the concept of organ inferiority. The psychological feelings of inferiority are then to be
focused on p. 478. It is also explained by Adler 1981 that a person is indicated to experience
an inferiority feeling complex when he or she tries to hypnotize himself or herself, or auto intoxicate himself or herself into feeling superior. This involves ―a
tendency to exaggerate one‘s physical, intellectual or social skills‖ p. 79. For the moment, his or her feeling of inferiority will accumulate because the situation
remains the same p. 257. In this situation, he or she will be drawn farther into ―self-deception‖.
b Inferiority Symptom Complex
The inferiority symptom complex is described by the attitude of an individual who, by this complex, expresses that he is not in the ―position to solve
an existing problem‖. An individual presents to himself or herself and others that he or she is not strong enough to solv
e a given problem in a ―socially useful way‖ p. 258. The inferiority feelings become a pathological condition for the
inadequacy overwhelms the individual. The individual cannot stimulate himself to useful activity which then leads to depression. Inferiority symptom complex is a
dead-end for any development. The inferiority complex as a symptom is the one understood as Adler said
...a person is suffering from an ―inferiority complex‖ when he or she reacts fatalistically to a crippling situation, real or fancied; without attempting to
correct or improve it. This should not be confused with the feeling of inferiority which is presented in everyone in certain situations, a feeling
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which normally incites an individual to achieve future successful development p. 258-259.
According to Adler, when the growth process faces ―stagnation‖, a person may fall to an inferiority complex as a ―victim‖. He states that in this case, the felt
minus situation is too powerful to be overcome and the person accepts an exaggerated sense of inferiority as an accurate self-description. All neurotics have
an inferiority complex, even noneurotic people have inferiority feelings; but only in their exaggerated form, when they overwhelm attempts to move to the felt plus
and stagnant growth, are they called a complex as cited in Cloninger, 2004, p. 108.
In addition, inferiority symptom complex, according to Allport 1937 in his Personality: A Psychological Interpretation, is defined as
The strong and persistent tension arising from a somewhat morbid emotional attitude toward ones failure to effect a satisfactory direct
adjustment to his environment, owing to some felt-deficiency in his personal equipment p. 174.
2 Mechanism
A person demonstrates his or her inferiority complex existence by two manners, direct and indirect demonstration.
a Direct Demonstration
Adler explains that the direct demonstration is shown when people with inferiority complex compensate their feelings directly. This compensation is the
effort to the effect or the overcome of personal weaknesses. Husband 1947, states that a person conceals his or her inferiority complex by keeping the
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background, refusing to try to do any action, and deprecating himself p. 266. Morris 1990 also states that they tend to avoid conflicts, when they are
confronted with undesired or threatening events, they will try to escape p. 497.
b Indirect Demonstration
The second is the indirect demonstration, Husband 1947 explains that when someone admit that he or she has unbearable inferiority , he or she will act
as if he or she is superior p. 261. Regardless of the circumstances which raise the inferiority feelings, Adler 1956 adds that a person may react by
overcompensating and developing a ―superiority complex‖ to cover the inferiority complex they suffered from. They have vanity of their personal appearance,
different behavior toward their personal gender, arrogance, exuberant emotion, snobbishness, boastfulness, and a tyrannical nature.
It can also become visible in the exaggerated demands one makes on oneself and on other persons. Disdain: vanity in connection with personal
appearance, whether in the way of elegance or neglect, an unfashionable mode of attire; exaggerated masculine conduct in women or feminine
behavior in men; arrogance; exuberant emotion; snobbishness; boastfulness; a tyrannical nature; inordinate hero-worship p. 261.
Accordingly, the person possesses a superiority complex as the indirect demonstration tends to be ―arrogant, vain, egocentric, and sarcastic‖ p. 79. One
gets impression that this individual has so little self-acceptance i.e. such a low opinion of himself or herself th
at only by ―putting down‖ others can he or she feel important p. 79. The superiority complex as maintained by Adler 1956
usually can also be visible ―in the exaggerated demand one makes on oneself and on other persons p. 261.
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3 Causes
Inferiority complex, as it is stated by Adler 1956, can be caused by the fulfillment failure of striving toward superiority. Adler defines that inferiority
complex as feelings of inferiority are developed by the early childhood of an individual, and these deal with helplessness and incompetence as stated in
Huffman, 1997, p. 455. Cloninger 2004 also says that an inferiority complex describes being overcome by a feeling of lack of worth, her statement above has
the same idea proposed by Adler p. 106. Adler‘s individual psychoanalytic
theory describes a person struggling from feelings of inferiority toward something better and emphasizes the movement from a felt minus to a felt plus.
Erikson 1959 also admits that industry and inferiority started on the school age. It is the remainder of childhood until puberty. The negative pole is the
inferiority. If a child cannot produce an acceptable product or fails to obtain recognition for it, a sense of inferiority prevails p. 86. Another explanation from
Stein and Edwards 1998 is that the exaggerated sense of inferiority may result from physical handicaps, family dynamics, or societal influences that are
overwhelming as cited in Cloninger, 2004, p. 108. Adler‘s further explanation about superiority is that it lies on specific goal
points which are related to some needs. The needs then concern with the striving for perfection, striving for self-concept and self-esteem, striving for security and
the last is striving for power.
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a Striving for Perfection
Adl er says that the basic human motivation is to strive ―from a felt minus
situation towards a plus situation, from a feeling of inferiority towards superiority, perfection, totality‖ as stated in Cloninger, 2004, p. 106. Striving for perfection
as the cause of inferiority complex is related to two main subjects; striving for physical growth and for the intrinsic necessities of life itself. The first cause,
striving for physical growth perfection deals with physical deformity. Adler 1956, states that when children were born with deformity, the inferiority feelings
develop much more than normal children. They need greater efforts to compensate their lacks. They even are attacked much more by the difficulties of
life which then make them become selfish, inconsiderate, lacking in social interest, courage, and self-confidence p. 118.
The second is striving for intrinsic necessities of life which here can be divided further into the self-actualization needs and the belonging and love needs.
According to Huffman 1997 the self- actualization needs are the ―inborn drives‖
to develop someone‘s talent and capacities p. 463. The finding of self- fulfillment and the realization of someone‘s potential are the reference of the
needs. Concerning with the belonging and love needs, Adler 1956, states that
the abnormal inferiority feelings often appear in hated children who are unwanted. They feel curtailed and behave like enemies. They use their strength only if
they are stronger, sometimes in a cruel manner against weaker persons or animals. Their goal of superiority is to suppress the other person. Their
increased feeling of inferiority makes them suspicious and sly. It is
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difficult to win them and to develop social interest and courage to do useful work p. 118.
An unfavorable environment can also cause the abnormally increased feelings. They have high degree of lacks in social interest, courage, and self-
confidence and developed towards someone or something which they live with, like parasites.
b Striving for Self-Concept and Self-Esteem
Self-concept according to Rogers is all the information and beliefs about someone‘s nature, qualities, and behavior. Any incongruence or disparity between
self-concept and actual life experiences develop poor mental health and maladjustment; hence, the actual experience should be harmonized with the self-
concept as stated in Huffman et al., 1997, p. 462. Rogers also explains that self-esteem is about how good or even bad we
see and feel about ourselves; this results from the chi ldren‘s early childhood
experiences with parents and other adults, they learn that their acceptance is dependent on certain behaviors and certain feelings by the environment. When
they feel the affection and love are conditional, they will show the negative impulses and feelings which then self-esteem becomes distorted p. 462.
c Striving for Security
As stated by Adler 1956 the self-esteem safeguarding tendency is the one originates the feeling of insecurity. The safeguarding tendency emerges when one
is oversensitive especially in children or the neurotics since they fear of
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disparagement and disgrace p. 109. Morris 1990 also agrees with Maslow‘s idea that the striving for security deals with the desire to live comfortably in the
milieu p. 431.
d Striving for Power
The fear of losing self-esteem drives people to strive for power. According to Adler, the power is needed to gain enormous authority and represent all
psychological forces into its direction. The safeguarding tendency sets the final purpose in which psychological readiness for the purpose of further safeguarding
is originated p. 111. Morris 1990 also states that the need of power can be defined as the need to win recognition or to influence or control other people or
group p. 428. The failure in these striving results the feeling of inferiority.
c. Theory of Existential Psychology
