Question

Meera always felt left out, low and incompetent as a child because her elder siblings were more successful. Now she works extremely hard to be the best in every task she takes up. According to Adler, this behaviour can be explained by:

• A. Fixation
• B. Inferiority Complex
• C. Superiority Complex
• D. Regression

Hint:

In Adlerian theory, Inferiority is the "cause" and Superiority is the "goal" or the behavior aimed at overcoming that cause.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Alfred Adler's Individual Psychology suggests that every individual suffers from feelings of inadequacy (inferiority) and strives for perfection (superiority).
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Meera's childhood feeling of being "incompetent" describes an Inferiority Complex.
However, the question asks what explains her current behavior of working "extremely hard to be the best."
According to Adler, individuals compensate for their inferiority by over-striving to be better than others, which is termed as the Striving for Superiority or a Superiority Complex when it becomes an exaggerated goal.
Fixation and Regression are Freudian concepts, not Adlerian.
While the root cause is inferiority, the resulting behavior of trying to be "the best" is the manifestation of the Superiority Complex.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Meera's behavior is explained by the Superiority Complex.