The “Study on the psychic compensation of the state of organic inferiority” as a moment of transition between the ‘Prehistory’ and the “History” of individual psychology

Abstract

The article explores the theoretical debate between Alfred Adler and the leading psychoanalysts of his time, highlighting the evolution of his thinking from the theory of organic inferiority to the birth of individual psychology. Through the minutes of psychoanalytic meetings, recognition of Adler's insights, tensions with Freud and other psychoanalysts of the time, and Adler's contributions to the understanding of neuroses, drives, and the social role of psychology emerge. The author emphasizes how Adler's initially organicist approach was developed, evolving towards a more complex perspective that integrates individual aspects and comparison with others. The article illustrates the history of the founding of individual psychology and Adler's gradual departure from Freudian psychoanalysis, exploring the theoretical assumptions behind this departure