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A 'SUPER' Theory: An Introduction to Individual Psychology
by DANIEL ECKSTEIN


Fundamental Adlerian principles of human behaviour can be illustrated with the 'SUPER' acronym developed by Eckstein & Kern (2002). Each respective letter represents a major theoretical Adlerian belief. The present article is revised and updated from the original model. Click here to download full article (PDF, 16pp).

Social Interest
Unity
Private Logic
Equality
Reasons of Purpose

Social Interest or Gemeinschaftsgefühl is the most distinctive concept in Individual Psychology. It is, however, also the most difficult to define and one of the major concepts that has received the least recognition in the general psychological literature. The German Gemeinschaftsgefühl is typically translated as 'social interest' or 'social feeling' (Ansbacher, 1991). There is no accurate English word that seems to communicate the German sense of 'community'. Some early translations used 'community feeling' or 'community sense' instead, and O’Connell (1981) proposed the term 'humanistic identification.'

Abraham Maslow (as cited in Ansbacher, 1991) credited Adler's belief in Social Interest as a primary description of self-actualised individuals. Maslow defined it as follows:

This word (Gemeinschaftsgefühl - Social Interest) … is the only one available that described well the flavor of the feeling for mankind by self-actualizing subjects. They have, for human beings in general, a deep feeling of identification, sympathy, and affection in spite of occasional anger, impatience or disgust. … It is as if they were all members of a single family" (p. 5).

Social Interest is a 'barometer' of effective mental health; conversely, mental illness is characterised as the absence of social interest. Nikelly (1971) advocates social interest as a 'paradigm' for mental health or model for viewing the world:

Behavior anomalies are essentially characterized by an inability to deal with social reality, a lack of communal cooperation, and unpreparedness for social living. The issue becomes clear as one responds to the fundamental questions: 'How much do others gain from my behavior? Do my actions enhance others?' By nature man is a social being, and it is the social feeling that has to be cultivated" (p. 17).

Existentialist philosophers have used the term anomie (lawlessness) to indicate the antithesis of social interest (Ansbacher, 1991). Eckstein and Kern (2002) note that:

Anomie is a condition in which an individual´s sense of social cohesion is broken or fatally weakened. Such a detachment from a feeling of embeddedness’ or 'connectedness' to others results in various anti-social behaviour types. For example, immediate personal gratification, personal power through domination and destruction, insecurity and dread as 'displaced persons' who feel rejected and thus feel victims of a persecution complex are but some of the ways people who experience the ruthlessness of anomie may react. It is as if such people have lost their 'existential anchors' and thus drift aimlessly with no direction. They are tumbled by the 'sea of life'. Having no existential anchor often results in 'drowning' (death) or severe emotional damage to such individuals" (p. 5).

'Rebellious' Social Interest - The notion of social interest is not to be confused with adaptation out of blind obedience or of conformity to authority. Nationalism, racism, sexism and ageism too often typify prevalent societal norms. The rebellion or confrontation of such systems and individuals characterises aspirations of a better world for all people. Social Interest paradoxically may take the form of civil disobedience to preserve the environment. Rebellion may actually have considerable community focus. The goals of such rebellion are motivated by a sense of social interest, a concern for the highest good of all life.

Social Interest should be the yardstick by which an individual measures what the Buddhists call the path of "right action". Such legendary individuals as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. have been imprisoned and/or assassinated for their "insurrections" and "traitorous" behaviour. Yet a higher commitment to such universal principles as non-violence and basic civil liberties are contemporary examples of "rebellious" Social Interest.

Social Interest: Behaviours, Feelings and Thoughts - Kaplan (1991) has described in very concrete ways the specific behaviours, feelings and cognitions (thoughts) associated with Social Interest:

"Behaviors Associated with Social Interest: Helping, Sharing, Participating, Respect, Cooperation, Compromise, Empathy, Encouragement, and Reforming.

Feelings Associated with Social Interest: Belonging, Feeling at home, Commonality, Faith in others, Being Human, and Optimism.

Cognitions (Thoughts) Associated with Social Interest: 'As a human being, my rights and obligations are equal to the rights and obligations of others;' 'My personal goals can be attained in ways consistent with the welfare of the community;' 'The ultimate measure of my character will be to what extent I promote the welfare of the community'"(p. 83).

The more a person behaves, feels and thinks as charted above, the more others will respond positively to him or her. This enhances self-confidence, which further expands Social Interest for both present reality and for building a better future. A balance of practicality and idealism also highly correlates with a high degree of mental health as well.

Social Interest and Psychological Tolerance - Slavik and Croake (as cited in Eckstein & Roy, 2002) suggest that Social Interest is actually more understandable by recourse to Adler´s concept of psychological tolerance.

"Psychological tolerance is the amount of threat a person can face without choosing anger and leaving a situation, 'caving in' to despair or fear, renouncing one's ability to handle a situation or, in general, withdrawing" (p. 6).

Psychological tolerance is plainly related to habitual styles of safeguarding through distancing, to habitual styles of exclusion tendencies, to antithetical modes of apperception and to limitations in courage. A measure of psychological tolerance would be a measure of one’s lack of willingness to stand out and display Gemeinschaftsgefühl.

Reference:
Eckstein, D. (2008). A SUPER Theory: An Introduction to the Theory of Individual Psychology. In: P. Prina, A. Millar, C. Shelley & K. John (Eds.). UK Adlerian Year Book 2008, (pp. 136-151). London: ASIIP.

Daniel Eckstein PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Counselling at Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas. He is a past President of the North American Society of Adlerian Psychology (NASAP). He has a Diploma in Adlerian Studies from the same organisation. He is co-author of Leadership by Encouragement (1993), Raising Respectful Kids in a Rude World (2001) and Psychological Fingerprints: An Introduction to Life-Style Assessment (2002).