Inferiority complex

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An inferiority complex, in the fields of psychology and psychoanalysis, is a feeling that one is inferior to others in some way. Such feelings can arise from an imagined or actual inferiority in the afflicted person. It is often subconscious, and is thought to drive afflicted individuals to overcompensate, resulting either in spectacular achievement or extreme antisocial behavior, or both. Unlike a normal feeling of inferiority, which can act as an incentive for achievement, an inferiority complex is an advanced state of discouragement, often resulting in a retreat from difficulties.

Early work in this field was pioneered by Alfred Adler, who used the example of Napoleon complexes to illustrate his theory. Some sociologists have proposed that an inferiority complex can also exist at a wider level, affecting entire cultures. This theory, which is controversial, is known as cultural cringe.

Classical Adlerian psychology makes a distinction between primary and secondary inferiority feelings. A primary inferiority feeling is said to be rooted in the young child's original experience of weakness, helplessness and dependency. It can then be intensified by comparisons to older siblings and adults. A secondary inferiority feeling relates to an adult's experience of being unable to reach an unconscious, fictional final goal of subjective security and success to compensate for the inferiority feelings. The perceived distance from that goal would lead to a "minus" feeling that could then prompt the recall of the original inferiority feeling; this composite of inferiority feelings could be experienced as overwhelming. The goal invented to relieve the original, primary feeling of inferiority which actually causes the secondary feeling of inferiority is the "catch-22" of this dilemma. This vicious circle is common in neurotic lifestyles.

Contents

[edit] Causes

  • By birth - Every human being is born with inferiority feelings because at birth he is dependent on what appears to him as super humans around him.
  • Parental attitudes - disapproving negative remarks and evaluations of behavior emphasizing mistakes and shortcomings determine the attitude of the child before the age of six.
  • Physical defects - such as lameness, disproportional facial features, speech defects and defective vision cause emotional reactions and become connected with previous unpleasant experiences.
  • Mental limitations - brings feelings of inferiority when unfavorable comparisons are made with the superior achievements of others, and when satisfactory performance is expected even though the instructions cannot be comprehended.
  • Social disadvantages - family, race, sex or economic status

[edit] Manifestation

This feeling may be manifested in withdrawal from social contacts or excessive seeking for attention, criticism of others, overly dutiful obedience, and worry.

[edit] Handling Inferiority Complex

The following can be followed to tackle Inferiority Complex-

  1. Awareness - Raise the complex to conscious level
  2. Overcome or accept - Overcome the disability or accept the consequences
  3. Stop mental comparisons between self and others, which do nothing but reinforce feelings of inferiority: promoting jealousy, envy, and hatred of self and others.
  4. Accept oneself as one is, unconditionally (what constitutes genuine self-esteem). Make a conscious decision to do this even if others do not.
  5. Realize that inferiority feelings are unjustified. No one really is inferior to anyone else. No one is perfect. People are simply different from one another. Individual or race inferiority is a false belief, inculcated by societies or groups governed or controlled by those who believe they are superior to others.
  6. Recognize that not everything that one believes is true. Inferiority feelings are based false assumptions or conclusions about oneself and others.
  7. An Inferiority Complex is formed when one internalizes (takes inside and makes one's own) the rejection and bad treatment by others, seeing oneself as a bad or defective person and rejecting and treating oneself badly in turn. This is absolutely unnecessary. It is possible to have a realistic, positive self-image, regardless of how one is viewed or treated by others.
  8. Understand that each person is a unique, special, valuable individual with intrinsic worth, which does not depend on anything or anyone outside of oneself.

[edit] In popular culture

  • In the popular British sitcom Porridge, Mr Barrowclough states in the pilot episode, "Prisoner and Escort", "I got so depressed I thought I'd better go and see the prison psychiatric department, y'know let them have a look at me inferiority complex."
  • In the 1964 film A Hard Day's Night, George Harrison remarks, "You've got an inferiority complex, you have," to which Ringo Starr replies, "Yeah, I know, that's why I play the drums - it's me active compensatory factor."
  • In the Tennessee Williams play The Glass Menagerie during a conversation between central characters, Jim judges Laura as the victim of an inferiority complex, and advises her to see herself as "superior in some way", relating his own experience and goals for the future - in his case, television. Jim manages to coax Laura out of her shyness.
  • In The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, Sally Hayes, Holden's friend, mentions that the guys Holden thinks are snobbish and rude have an inferiority complex.
  • In the TV-Sitcom Scrubs: J.D is having a fantasy where his best friend Turk is Batman and he is Robin and he says "Holy Inferiority complex, Batman! How low is my self-esteem that I'm the sidekick in my own fantasy?!". After the imaginary Turk says "It could be worse. You could be Alfred the butler.", J.D. proceeds to imagine himself as Alfred, proving his problem is even worse.
  • In the Anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion[1], one of the main protagonists is described as a boy who "shrinks from human contact", and has "convinced himself that he is a completely unnecessary person, so much so that he cannot even commit suicide." Misato Katsuragi and her colleague Rituko Akagi note Shinji as having an Inferiority Complex.[citation needed]

[edit] See also

et:Alaväärsuskompleks fr:Sentiment d'infériorité he:תסביך נחיתות nl:Minderwaardigheidscomplex id:Rendah diri ja:劣等感 pl:Kompleks niższości pt:Complexo de inferioridade ru:Комплекс неполноценности sr:Комплекс мање вредности fi:Alemmuuskompleksi sv:Mindervärdeskomplex tr:Aşağılık kompleksi

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