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Adler Essay Assignment
School of Psychology and Social Work, Liberty University
Psychology 341: Psychology of Personality
03.27.2023
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Aggression is a safeguarding tendency described by Alfred Adler. This behavior is
enacted by people when they feel as if their superiority complex is either threatened or
questioned. This behavior can also be shown If that individual has a weak self-esteem, which
will be revealed by their actions and the words they choose to use. [ CITATION Wat20 \l 1033 ]
Aggression can be shown in multiple ways. The most common are accusation, depreciation, and
withdrawal. When someone uses the emotion of aggression, they can leave a lasting impact on
another individual and alter the perception of those around them negatively. Accusations are
aggression that manifests by the feeling of shaming, projecting, or placing blame onto another
person. Usually, accusations are used in order to protect their own ego. Depreciation is
undervaluing others' accomplishments, goals, and values in order to overvalue their own
accomplishments, goals, and values. This action can be referred to as selfish or self-absorbed.
[ CITATION Men21 \l 1033 ] The last primary way listed is withdrawal which can be self-
explanatory for those familiar with the term. Withdrawal depicts when a person uses their built-
up aggressive behavior over not having substances such as alcohol, drugs, caffeine, etc. It
becomes an aggressive behavior once that built-up anger is projected towards someone who is
trying to help that individual or even those who are innocent bystanders. Withdrawal can be used
as an aggressive safeguarding technique in order to be able to distance themselves from a
negative situation.
The story of Joseph can be perfectly compared to issues one may have when using the
accusation method in order to manage their behaviors or stressful situations. The downfall of
doing this is that it is a very unhealthy form of a coping mechanism which one typically uses
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when trying to hide or cover up their own destructive behaviors. In the story of Joseph, he was
falsely accused of trying to commit sexual acts with the wife of another. This wife just so
happened to have been the wife of Potiphar. These accusations in turn damaged his reputation,
and it also resulted in him being placed in jail. (Genesis 39:12-20) Potiphar’s wife made these
accusations against Joseph in an attempt to cover up her attempts of adultery toward Joseph.
Since Joseph rejected her, she felt shame, therefore, making the accusation in order to protect her
own ego and punish Joseph for making her feel shameful. The choice she made to use the
accusation towards Joseph was used in a deflective unhealthy way. Like many of individuals in
the real world, she used her influence on others to make life harder for Joseph, not only affecting
Joseph but also her husband. Being deceitful has greater consequences than most realize and this
story outlines that statement perfectly.
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References
Watts, R. E., & Bluvshtein, M. (2020). Adlers Theory and Therapy as a River: A Brief
Discussion of the Profound Influence of Alfred Adler. The journal of individual psychology,
76(1), 99-109
Mendez, B., Bozzay, M., & Verona, E (2021). Internalizing and Externalizing symptoms and
aggression and violence in men and women. Aggressive Behavior, 47(4), 439-452.
The Holy Bible, Genesis 39: 12-20)
Word Count: 607
Watts, R. E., &
Bluvshtein, M. (2020).
Adler’s Theory and
Therapy as a River: A
Brief
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Discussion of the
Profound Influence of
Alfred Adler. The Journal
of Individual
Psychology, 76(1), 99–
109
Watts, R. E., &
Bluvshtein, M. (2020).
Adler’s Theory and
Therapy as a River: A
Brief
Discussion of the
Profound Influence of
Alfred Adler. The Journal
of Individual
6
Psychology, 76(1), 99–
109
