CHAPTER III

THE GENESIS OF INFERIORITY

ERSONALITY refers to the habitual modes of adjustt which the organism employs in relating its egoEric drives to the demands of the environment. To rmine whether a person is troubled with a sense of riority, we must study his reactions to various situns. Certain traits betray the type-such as sensity to criticism, refractoriness, overconscientiousness, essive egotism, and aggressiveness. When a person onscious that his capacities are not up to par, there ome basis for his feeling. We must look to this is if we are to comprehend the true meaning of his racteristic reactions.

Why do people feel inferior? Adler confined his attion to one cause of the feeling of inadequacy, the sical handicaps. Shortcomings, however, exist in er respects. There may be defectiveness of 'sique, health, special organs or capacities, wealth, cation, social standing, experience, intelligence, racter, or self-expression.1 The operation of such ied factors comprises a complex situation. All dicaps might be classed as social, since they all af: the individual through their influence upon his sorelationships. Physical inferiority, for example, 3. S. Amsden: A Guide to the Descriptive Study of the Perlity, sec. III, B.

VERSITY OF MICHIGAN LIPRADICO

predisposes one to social inferiority. On account of the complexity of factors in the nurture of negative self-feeling the following classification can only be regarded as an arbitrary and artificial distinction of types.

TYPES OF DEFECT

For the sake of convenience we shall consider deficiencies under four categories,—physical, intellectual, moral, and social.

Physical defects are due to heredity, injury, disease, and maldevelopment. Numerous peculiarities subject a person to ridicule-red hair, a prominent cowlick, too much chin or not enough, a big nose or a snubby one, freckles, squinting eyes, thin arms, fat legs. Nicknames often are assigned on the basis of bodily idiosyncrasies-Shorty, Skinny, Squint, Itchy, Red, and Lizzie. Physical handicaps are especially distressing in youth where games demanding dexterity occupy such an important place. Eye defects, awkwardness, or a weak heart keep a boy from excelling or often from participating in vigorous games. He must "baby" himself and, in doing so, he feels different,-excluded. Sometimes his mother, fearing he will suffer consequences which he himself cannot appreciate, forbids him to play or insists on his wearing rubbers when the ground is damp. A boy whose defective vision compels him to wear glasses feels that his "windows" brand him as a "four-eyed" weakling. Adenoids or tonsils may cause mouth breathing with its idiotic expression. A weak stomach produces a finicky child. Flat feet, bowlegs, and knock-knees may diminish not only a child's

leon's height
& profound
The aggress

F. A. C. Perrin: "Physical Attractiveness and Repulsiveness." Journal of Experimental Psychology 1921, 4, 203-217.

helm has be

account of

cially in vie

a large exte A man's b his social su

vish, upon

ence wheth

and robust

ill-shapen
case illust
individual
Gilbert,
send farm

kitchen of

ility but his self-esteem. A frail constitution subsa boy to the name of "Sissie," and there could be ondemnation more damning for a self-respecting than to be accused of effeminacy. Slight physical ties become a serious problem for the child because Iren are so unsympathetic and are so quick to p an excuse for teasing. Adults, too, are often itive about bodily differences which they believe act attention. An elderly gentleman who is unusushort often complains that if his guardians had him properly, he would not be such a runt. Anr man was so sensitive about his short stature that ould remain in his chair on the platform, while the r speakers stood up, in order to avoid the embarment of revealing his size to the audience. Napo"s height was a sore point with him. Physique has ofound influence upon a man's whole personality. aggressive, domineering character of Kaiser Wilhas been traced to the shame he experienced on unt of a paralytic arm. Physical factors, espey in view of their social consequences, determine, to rge extent, the general reactions of the individual. han's business career, his domestic happiness, and ocial success depend, more than he would sometimes , upon his physical appearance. It makes a differwhether he is prepossessing, with muscular vigor robust health, or repulsive, with deformed features, apen body, and chronic ill health. An extreme illustrates how a slight bodily defect can poison an vidual's whole outlook upon life:

lbert, 16-year old son of Frank Richards, a West Townfarmer, shot and fatally wounded his father in the en of their home to-night.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HIBRARIES

The authorities believe the boy was mentally deranged from brooding over a physical deformity for which he had been undergoing treatment for nearly a year. Richards said his son had been "acting unruly" for several days.

The boy had been acting strangely, probably in a fit of despondency over his physical condition. One leg was slightly deformed.

THE

handicap, a rube" or "hi rho ventures picture indus to be lacking ana corn hoe

The act had

The second class of inferiority is the intellectual. Though a man may possess a capable mind, he may have lacked the advantages of a higher education. Another person may have neglected the opportunities he had for training his intellect and then awakened to his mistake only to find himself painfully conscious of his limitations. Ignorance must stand uneasy before knowledge. On the other hand, a brilliant mind may be a social handicap, since the average man cannot understand special abilities and in his envy dislikes the exceptional man for his talents, branding him "queer." The rate of maturation varies among individuals. The precocious child cannot associate comfortably with children of his own age. The backward child may be considered dull. A slow mind lacks the keenness of wit that is a valuable defensive weapon against satirical companions. Faulty intelligence makes adjustment difficult. A man with a well-trained intellect may lack the insight necessary to adapt himself to the demands of his environment. An individual may be so clever as to deceive himself in regard to his faults through elaborate rationalizations, so that he does not see the defects that should be corrected. Lack of experience is

The Boston Herald, September 28, 1925.

range of act Euence. Th handicap in knowledge n Moral inf perversions

more depre normal bov grounds fo transgressi may linger

the rest of ing, make cessfully c the more! his deceiti

of morali

set too hi

them and A strict

ndicap, as we see in the familiar caricature of the
e" or "hick" who comes to the city, or the "dandy"
ventures into the great open spaces. The motion
ure industry has learned that the rustic is inclined
e lacking in social intelligence. A handsome Indi-
corn hoer was drafted for a scene in high society.
act had not got far under way before he slipped
he manipulation of a grapefruit and shot himself
he left eye, thus spoiling several feet of film. That
feel inferior over intellectual limitations is indi-
d by the present widespread rush for a college edu-
on. Even the self-made, money-mad business man
come to realize how his lack of culture hems in his
ge of activities. Education enlarges a person's in-
nce. The lack of a trained mind is felt as a severe
dicap in the struggle of competitive life where
wledge means power.

foral inferiorities constitute a third
group. Sexual
versions fill one with a sense of shame that is all the
e depressing because secrecy is necessary. If a
mal boy is caught in the act of lying he is given
unds for self-depreciation. The disgrace of his
sgression is a bitter experience. One such episode
y linger as a thorn in the side of his self-respect for
rest of his life. Underhanded acts, such as cheat-
make a boy uncomfortable, even if they are suc-
fully concealed. The more sensitive his conscience,
more he suffers. If he is scolded before others for
deceitfulness, his humiliation is complete. Feelings
noral flabbiness may arise because the individual has
too high ideals for himself. He cannot live up to
m and his failure leads to feelings of unworthiness.
trict moral code often proves a social shortcoming.

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