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Home > Fundamental Concepts > Development of Personality/Lifestyle > Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life

Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life

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Note: Page numbers enclosed in parentheses are citations from The Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler: A systematic presentation in selections from his writings. (H. L. and R. R. Ansbacher, Eds.). © 1964, Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. Used by permission of Perseus Books Group. 

The style of living or lifestyle is the unique and self-consistent unity in movement (thought, feeling, action) of the individual, created in early childhood1 in the context of genetic possibility and environmental opportunity (soft determinism), organized and given direction by the subjectively conceived goal, based upon guiding fictions and following guiding lines that are relied upon and reinforced through training, self-training, and the rehearsal of character.

In Individual Psychology lifestyle is congruent with the term personality in other psychological systems, but is contrasted to them not least because of its emphasis on the person's characteristic way of movement. Adler first used the too-easily reified and misunderstood term life plan. He abandoned this phrase at the suggestion of a student (who previously had studied with sociologist Max Weber) in favor of Weber's phrase life-style. The new phrase was better able to convey Adler's sense of the creative, artistic side of the development of the unique individual. (Unfortunately, also, it has never lost its association to Weber's meaning of a characteristic set of values and practices associated with a social class; this gives rise to confusion as to its meaning in Adler's use of it.) In Individual Psychology the style of living is meant, in brief, to refer to (a) the person's characteristic way of operating in the social field; (b) the basic convictions concerning self, others, and the world actively maintained in the person's schema of biased apperception; and (c) the person's self-created goal of perfection, or self ideal.

             The style of life . . . is developed in earliest childhood (p. 186).

[The child's] opinion of life, which is at the bottom of his attitude to life and is neither shaped into words nor expressed in thought, is his own masterpiece. Thus the child arrives at his law of movement which aids him after a certain amount of training to obtain a style of life, in accordance with which we see the individual thinking, feeling, and acting throughout his whole life (pp. 187-188).

The style of life commands all forms of expression; the whole commands the parts. . .  The foremost task of Individual Psychology is to prove this unity in each individual — in his thinking, feeling, acting, in his so-called conscious and unconscious, in every expression of his personality. This unity we call the style of life of the individual (p. 175).

             The style of life of an individual is wholly accomplished in earliest childhood and is not changed so long as the individual does not understand the unavoidable discrepancies [of his style] regarding the inescapable demands of social problems (p. 192).

             Anything that is not palatable to the style of life is rejected, forgotten, or saved as a warning example. The style of life decides (p. 213).

            [For] Adler, the construction of the "life style" is completed by the individual at about the age of four or five. His interpretations of what life is, what he is, what others are and what his relationships to others mean, is pretty nearly fixed by that age, and forms his total attitudes to life in all situations. New experiences are, from that time on, interpreted only from the point of view of his life style. This results in a biased selection of perceptions, with the exclusion, or at least depreciation, of all those experiences that do not fit his style of life. All thinking, feeling and acting of an individual support his style of life. Thoughts, feelings and actions that would undermine or contradict his life style are largely rejected (K. A. Adler, p. iv, Introduction, Adler, 1963).

For a report and discussion of the Kern Lifestyle Scale (1997) and the expanded version, BASIS-A (Basic Adlerian Scales for Inter-personal Success [1993]), by Kern, R.  M., Wheeler, J., and Curette, W., see Dinkmeyer, D., Jr. & Sperry, L. (2000), pp. 303-306.

1Research conducted by Avshalom Caspi, M. D., of the Institute of Psychiatry in London, reporting in The Week magazine (September 19, 2003, p.  20), suggests that one's basic personality is fixed by age three.  Caspi and others interviewed 1,000 children at age three, grouping them into five categories (confident, well-adjusted, reserved, inhibited, and restless), and found in a reassessment 23 years later that the now-adult subjects could be similarly characterized. Dr. Caspi states, "The message is that parents and teachers should not ignore what they see in a 3-year-old as a passing phase."

 

© Griffith, J., & Powers, R. L. (2007).  The Lexicon of Adlerian Psychology:  106 terms Associated with the Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler (2nd ed.). Port Townsend, WA: Adlerian Psychology Associates (p. 63).

Definitions of concepts are used by permission of Jane Griffith. A comprehensive list of concepts and definitions can be found in The Lexicon of Adlerian Psychology: 106 Terms Associated with the Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler by Jane Griffith and Robert L. Powers, available for purchase on Amazon.com. 

 

References 

Adler, A. (1963). The problem child: The life style of the difficult child as analyzed in specific cases. (G. Daniels, Trans.). New York: Capricorn. (Original work published 1930)

Dinkmeyer, D. C., Jr., & Sperry, L. (2000). Counseling and psychotherapy: An integrated Individual Psychology approach (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill. 


Video Transcript

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Resources

The Allan Cox Interview Part 2: Style of Life
Randy Lewis, Senior Vice President of Walgreens (1992-2013), interviews Allan Cox about Alfred Adler's concept of Lifestyle.


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Allan Cox, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

Adlerian Psychology: Lifestyle
Dr. Sarah Hudson discusses Adlerian concept of Lifestyle, Life Style, Style of Life

The Adlerian lifestyle refers to the collection of convictions that the person has developed and uses to navigate life. These convictions serve many purposes including giving the person a sense of identity, it helps you understand the world, helps you maintain control in your life.


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

The Lifestyle - Uncover the Personality with Dr. Jay Colker and Dr. Jon Carlson
Drs. Carlson and Colker walk through the process of collecting lifestyle information and early recollections through a live demonstration.

Dr. Carlson and Dr. Colker walk students and staff through the process of collecting life style information including family constellation data and early recollections in order to better understand a person's sense of being and personality. The family constellation highlights early family influences and how they are remembered. Through early recollections, counselors and other professionals are able to better understand a current perceptual framework as individuals remember things in line with their current beliefs and perceptions. Other tools are also used through an Adlerian perspective to better attend and understand a person and their personality. Individuals are able to watch an actual life style demonstration with an audience participant.


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Life-Style Assessment/Life-Style Diagnosis, Jon Carlson , Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life, Jay Colker
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

Adlerian Consultation Hour with Drs. Jon Carlson and Jay Colker (03-01-2016)
During this consultation hour, the case of a 20-year old male client seeking therapy for symptoms of anxiety and depression is presented. The client’s relationships with his family, early recollections, and purpose of symptoms are discussed. (see Adlerian Consultation Hour with Drs. Jon Carlson and Jay Colker- 03-08-2016 for follow-up) Video Length: 55:33 Key Words: purpose of symptoms, birth order, lifestyle, grief and loss

During this consultation hour, the case of a 20-year old male who has recently returned to counseling is presented. The client reported symptoms of depression and anxiety following his mother and step-father's recent move to Florida. His younger sister also recently moved out of the house in order to attend college. The client chose not to move because he feels obligated to continue working for his grandfather’s local business. Regarding relevant client history, the client's biological father committed suicide when he was 9-years-old, and his mother remarried three years later when the client was 12.

The client’s relationships with his family and early recollections are discussed. Dr. Colker discusses the purpose of symptoms and reports that client has not appropriately coped with the death of his father. He further suggests that there is a functional purpose of the client holding on to grief after so many years. The therapist is encouraged to consider the client's new experience of being alone and having fewer supports.


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Psychological Birth-Order Position/Birth-Order Vantage, Early Recollections, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life, Case Conceptualizatons, Individual Therapy, Adlerian Counseling/Psychotherapy, Jon Carlson , Jay Colker
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

The Authentic Lifestyle: At the Crossroad Between Existentialism and IP by Irvin Neufeld, Individual Psychologist v.2 #1 (1964)
This article describes how existentialism relates to Individual Psychology and Alfred Adler, including focus on lifestyle


Added By: CMonn
Areas of Focus: Existentialism , Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Article
The Authentic Lifestyle: At the Crossroad Between Existentialism and IP
Direct Link to this Resource

The Use of Adlerian Principles in Understanding Employee Maldevelopment by William P. Angers, Individual Psychologist v.2 #2 (1964)
This article discusses the predominant life-styles of mal-developed employees


Added By: CMonn
Areas of Focus: Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life, Leadership/Organizational
Resource Type: Article
The Use of Adlerian Principles in Understanding Employee Maldevelopment
Direct Link to this Resource

A Comparison of Allport's and the Adlerian Concepts of Life Style: Contributions to a Psychology of the Self by Bernard H. Shulman, Individual Psychologist v.3 #1 (1965)
Comparing Allport to Adler in terms of lifestyle and holistic approach to understanding people


Added By: CMonn
Areas of Focus: Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Article
A Comparison of Allport's and the Adlerian Concepts of Life Style
Direct Link to this Resource

The Maladjusted Child by Paul Brodsky, Individual Psychologist v.4 #2 (1967)
A fictional case conceptualization demonstrating the concept of maladjustment to society's norms


Added By: AWisniewski
Areas of Focus: Normal vs. Abnormal (Health vs. Pathology), Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Article
The Maladjusted Child by Paul Brodsky
Direct Link to this Resource

Marriage Assessment Instrument
A description of the Marriage Assessment Instrument

An instrument designed to be used in marriage counseling based on a lifestyle approach to therapy. The document attached contains a detailed description of the instrument.


Added By: Francis Sesso-Osburn
Areas of Focus: Life-Style Assessment/Life-Style Diagnosis, Couples Therapy, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life, Adlerian Assessment Measures
Resource Type: Document (Word/PDF)
Marriage Assessment Instrument
Direct Link to this Resource

The Unity of the Self-Image by Jane Nugent-Green, Individual Psychologist v.7 #1 (1970)
How the self-concept is formed and impacts one's life


Added By: AWisniewski
Areas of Focus: Self Task, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Article
Unity of Self-Image
Direct Link to this Resource

Movement Diagnosis Tests and the Inherent Laws Governingc Their Use in Treatment: An Aid in Detecting the Lifestyle by Liljan Espenak, Individual Psychologist v.7 #1 (1970)
How to use Psychomotor Therapy with mental ill populations to understand the lifestyle


Added By: AWisniewski
Areas of Focus: Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life, Adlerian Assessment Measures
Resource Type: Article
Movement Diagnosis Test
Direct Link to this Resource

Adlerian Consultation Hour with Dr. Jay Colker (3-16-2017)
During this consultation hour, Dr. Colker uses the open forum counseling technique with adult siblings. Discussions on birth order, family constellations, and lifestyle development are involved.

During this consultation hour, Dr. Colker uses the open forum counseling technique with adult siblings. Discussions on birth order, family constellations, and lifestyle development are involved. In addition, misguided or overdriven beliefs are expressed and explored, and the concept of roles and places of significance are investigated. Dr. Colker also recommends and defines family counsels within Adlerian interventions.


Added By: VinceMessina
Areas of Focus: The Question, Development of Personality/Lifestyle, Family Therapy, Psychological Birth-Order Position/Birth-Order Vantage, Family Constellation, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life, Jay Colker
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

Classical Adlerian Quotes: The Style of Life- Alfred Adler
text from adlerian.us

The Style of Life


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Life Style, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Website Link
Direct Link to this Resource

Ginzberg, E. (1967). Choice of the Term "Life style" by One Research Group. Journal of Individual Psychology, 23(2)
journal article


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Life Style, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Article
Direct Link to this Resource

International Association of Individual Psychology
Text from iaipwebsite.org

IAIP Theory- Life Style


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Life Style, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Website Link
Direct Link to this Resource

Early Recollections Webinar with Jane Griffith
Jane Griffith, with facilitation from Dr. Jay Colker, explains and illustrates the concept of early recollections, how to draw them out in therapy, and their use in practice. Length (1:02:29).

Jane Griffith, with facilitation from Dr. Jay Colker, explains and illustrates the concept of early recollections, how to draw them out in therapy, and their use in practice. Griffith and Colker discuss what the role of early recollections are in Adlerian Theory and practice. The approach, individual style or caveats, are explored with examples of true early recollections and some common themes to look for in early recollections. Griffith outlines the body of research to support the validity of early recollections, and the stable nature of the lifestyle. Length (1:02:29).


Added By: VinceMessina
Areas of Focus: Jane Griffith, Early Recollections, Couples Therapy, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life, Individual Therapy, Jay Colker
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

Why Adler? A Presentation by Dr. Marina Bluvshtein
October 31, 2018 In this video Dr. Bluvshtein presents on the fundamentals of Adlerian Psychology.

In this video Dr. Bluvshtein presents on the fundamentals of Adlerian Psychology. Please cite this webinar as produced and hosted by the Center for Adlerian Practice and Scholarship (CAPS), Adler University, Chicago, IL. This webinar was made possible with a generous support of an anonymous donor. With questions about this and other CAPS events, to request an event, to seek Adlerian resources, or to sponsor any CAPS activities, please e-mail Dr. Marina Bluvshtein at mbluvshtein@adler.edu With questions about this and other CAPS events, to request an event, to seek Adlerian resources


Added By: VinceMessina
Areas of Focus: Marina Bluvshtein, Soft-Determinism/Self-Determinism, Organ Inferiority, Teleology/Purpose, Felt Minus and Felt (Fictional) Plus, Basic Assumptions of Individual Psychology, Lifetasks/Tasks of Life, Courage/Encouragement/Discouragement, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

Lifestyle (Personality) Assessment Demonstration: A Live Interview with Dr. Jay Colker
Dr. Jay Colker presents a lecture and demonstration on Life Style Assessment

This was a live demonstration that Dr. Colker led in Vancouver. This video is a co-creating process between the speaker, as well as the people who came to the discussion. The assessment goes over the four steps of Adlerian Counseling practice, including establishing a relationship, investigate, provide awareness, and reorient, as well as the lifestyle personality assessment. Goal alignment and its importance is also discussed. Dr. Colker goes over how each Adlerian will have his or her own style and approach, but the fundamentals are very similar to each other. During the video, students are able to ask questions and give ideas as the entire assessment is given and created. Then Dr. Carlson gives input and helps to guide the students as to what they are looking for and how to do the overall assessment as well.


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Life-Style Assessment/Life-Style Diagnosis, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life, Jay Colker
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

Adlerian Psychology- Life Style
Video (00:04:02)

Dr. Sarah Hudson


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

The Self-Defeating Patterns of Living with an Exaggerated "As If" Lifestyle by Shulamith Sakin-Wolf
An article written by Shulamith Sakin-Wolf

Shulamith Sakin-Wolf-M.A. L.P. received her B.A. in Art History/Spanish- Queens College, Flushing, N.Y. and her M.A. in Russian Literature/Language- New York University. Shulamith Sakin-Wolf is also a proud graduate of The Alfred Adler Institute, N.Y. and is presently a Board Member there. She has presented at the 92nd St. Y.N.Y.C., sharing her knowledge on Alfred Adler & Buddhism and Alfred Adler & Martin Buber-Kindred Spirits. Her publications include East-West &Beyond- Adlerian Psychotherapy & Buddhism (The Journal of Individual Psychology- 2003). She also has a private practice located in New York.


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Shulamith Sakin-Wolf, Life Style, Reflecting As If (RAI), Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Article
The Self-Defeating Patterns of Living with an Exaggerated "As If" Lifestyle
Direct Link to this Resource

Impact of Lifestyle on Client’s Motivation with Dr. Gary Bauman
Part of the 2017-2018 CAPS Webinar Series


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Life Style, Life-Style Assessment/Life-Style Diagnosis, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

Richard Kopp - Systems Thinking for Psychotherapists
Richard Kopp uses Adlerian LifeStyle theory to model applying systems thinking to other modalities and to psychotherapy practice in general.


Added By: aramsay
Areas of Focus: Behaviorial, Teleology/Purpose, Life-Style, Lifestyle, Style of Living, Style of Life
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource
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