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                           NEO-FREUDIANS: Alfred Adler 
                                           ST 
                                      B.A. I (Honors), Lecture Series-1
                                    (Paper-IVth : Systems in Psychology) 
                                                     By
                                            Dr. Masaud Ansari
                                        Department of Psychology, 
                                          A.P.S.M. College, Barauni
                                       L. N. M. University, Darbhanga             21ST OCTOBER 2020
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     Neo-Freudian’s view
         Freud’s writings were controversial, but they soon attracted followers, mostly
    young, ambitious physicians who formed an inner circle around their strong minded
    leader. These pioneering psychoanalysts, whom we often call neo-Freudians, accepted
    Freud’s basic ideas: the personality structures of id, ego, and superego; the importance of
    theunconscious;theshaping ofpersonalityinchildhood;and thedynamicsofanxietyand
    the defense mechanisms. But they broke off from Freud in two important ways. First, they
    placed more emphasis on the conscious mind’s role in interpreting experience and in
    coping with the environment.And second, they doubted that sex and aggression were all
    -consuming motivations. Instead, they tended to emphasize motives and social
    interactions.
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         Neo-Freudian
        Neo-Freudian referring to modifications, extensions, or revisions of Freud’s original psychoanalytic
        theory, mostcommonly to those thatemphasize social, cultural and interpersonal elements rather than
        innate biological instincts such as sexuality and aggression.
        Major theoristsdescribed asneo-Freudian are
        1.   Alfred Adler (1870-1937)
        2.   Erich Fromm (1900-1980)
        3.   Karen Horney (1885-1952)
        4.   Harry Stack-Sullivan (1892-1943)
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   Neo-Freudian’s major Disagreements with Freud
   1. Socio-culturalfactors determineconflicts, not instincts.
   2. Infantile sexuality is of little importance compared to socio-cultural factors. Societal factors
     causeanxiety,notadefense.
   3. Dream have no latent content: could be metaphorical (symbolic) expressions of the
     patient’sreal concernor reflect strugglestoachieveself-awarenessand responsibility.
   4. Oedipalcomplex hasnosexualcomponent,is duetointerpersonal/social factors.
   5. Techniquesof treatment:normally emphasize‘hereandnow’,de-emphasison past,gaining
     insight etc.