Part II    Psychodynamic Theories88
Exaggerated Physical Deficiencies
Exaggerated physical deficiencies, whether congenital or the result of injury or dis -
ease, are not sufficient to lead to maladjustment. They must be accompanied by 
accentuated feelings of inferiority. These subjective feelings may be greatly encour -
aged by a defective body, but they are the progeny of the creative power.
Each person comes into the world “blessed” with physical deficiencies, and 
these deficiencies lead to feelings of inferiority. People with exaggerated physical defi -
ciencies sometimes develop exaggerated feelings of inferiority because they overcom -
pensate for their inadequacy. They tend to be overly concerned with themselves and 
lack consideration for others. They feel as if they are living in enemy country, fear 
defeat more than they desire success, and are convinced that life’s major problems 
can be solved only in a selfish manner (Adler, 1927).
Pampered Style of Life
A pampered style of life lies at the heart of most neuroses. Pampered people have 
weak social interest but a strong desire to perpetuate the pampered, parasitic rela -
tionship they originally had with one or both of their parents. They expect others to 
look after them, overprotect them, and satisfy their needs. They are characterized by 
extreme discouragement, indecisiveness, oversensitivity, impatience, and exaggerated 
emotion, especially anxiety. They see the world with private vision and believe that 
they are entitled to be first in everything (Adler, 1927, 1964).
Pampered children have not received too much love; rather, they feel unloved. 
Their parents have demonstrated a lack of love by doing too much for them and by 
treating them as if they were incapable of solving their own problems. Because these 
children feel pampered and spoiled, they develop a pampered style of life. Pampered 
children may also feel neglected. Having been protected by a doting parent, they are 
fearful when separated from that parent. Whenever they must fend for themselves, 
they feel left out, mistreated, and neglected. These experiences add to the pampered 
child’s stockpile of inferiority feelings.
Neglected Style of Life
The third external factor contributing to maladjustment is neglect. Children who 
feel unloved and unwanted are likely to borrow heavily from these feelings in cre -
ating a neglected style of life. Neglect is a relative concept. No one feels totally 
neglected or completely unwanted. The fact that a child survived infancy is proof 
that someone cared for that child and that the seed of social interest has been 
planted (Adler, 1927).
Abused and mistreated children develop little social interest and tend to cre -
ate a neglected style of life. They have little confidence in themselves and tend to 
overestimate difficulties connected with life’s major problems. They are distrustful of 
other people and are unable to cooperate for the common welfare. They see society 
as enemy country, feel alienated from all other people, and experience a strong sense 
of envy toward the success of others. Neglected children have many of the character -
istics of pampered ones, but generally they are more suspicious and more likely to be 
dangerous to others (Adler, 1927).
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