Inferiority Complex

An inferiority complex is a psychological term that connotes a lack of self-worth. Individuals are filled with doubt and uncertainty, frequently believing that they do not measure up to society's standards. Individuals suffering from an inferiority complex are said to overcompensate in some manner, either through achievement or in antisocial behavior.
The idea of the inferiority complex originated with Sigmund Freud and was expanded upon by Carl Jung. Alfred Adler maintained that an inferiority complex led to overt neurotic behaviors in an attempt to overcompensate. Adler distinguished between primary and secondary inferiority feelings.
A primary inferiority feeling arises in childhood, through experiences of helplessness. These feelings are magnified when the individual compares him or herself to siblings or peers. Secondary inferiority feelings result when adults are unable to successfully compensate for inferiority complexes. Neurotic lifestyles are thus manifested when the individual cannot escape from feedback cycles of inferiority and failure.
An inferiority complex can impact both self-esteem and one's ability to function in society. Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, mood disorders and personality disorders are often found to have inferiority complexes as well. Paranoid schizophrenics, for example, use delusions as a defense mechanism against feelings of inferiority.
Related Research Paper Topic Suggestions
Bipolar - Bipolar Disorder research papers on the psychological disorder and all of its elements and subcatagories can be custom written for college and university students in psychology courses. Symptoms, treatment and causes may be studied.
Bipoloar Syndrome - Bipolar Syndrome research papers that are custom from Paper Masters examine the componants of bipolar syndrome such as inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, excessive talking, racing thoughts, distractible and increased pleasure-seeking activities.
Borderline Personality Disorder - Borderline Personality Disorder Research Papers discuss the damages that it causes to body.
Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms - Borderline Personality Disorder research papers discuss the symptoms of borderline personality disorder and are custom written from Paper Masters.
Childhood Onset of Bipolar - Childhood Onset Bipolar Disorder research papers explore bipolar syndrome in Children.
Depersonalization Disorder - Depersonalization Disorder research papers look into a mental disorder characterized by the individual’s recurring feelings of derealization, altered perception of the external world, or depersonalization, which is a detached sense of self.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy - Dialectical Behavior Therapy research papers examine the effective treatment of borderline personality disorder, traumatic brain injuries, and the chronically suicidal.
Masochism - Masochism Research Papers examine why some individuals turn to physical pain, humiliation, degradation, or other forms of suffering as a means of reaching a state of physical and/or mental arousal.
Mental Health - Mental Health research papers take in an in depth examination of healthy mental functions and mental illness.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder - Oppositional Defiant Disorder essays discuss the childhood disorder that is characterized by ongoing anger-fueled disobedience.
Pathological Narcissism - Pathological Narcissism research papers discuss how narcissism affects individuals from all walks of life. Research on pathological narcissism at Paper Masters.
Personality Disorder - Personality Disorder Research Papers discuss different disorders that affect a person's personality.
Personality Disorder Narcissism - Personality Disorder Narcissism research papers discuss identifying characteristics of the narcissism personality disorder.
Selfesteem - Self-Esteem essays discuss the factors that encourage high levels of self-esteem in young adults.
Subjective Well Being - Subjective Well Being Research Papers discuss the scientific concept which psychologists and other specialists use to assist individuals in assessing their lives.
Treatment For Personality Disorder - Treatment for Personality Disorder Research Papers inspect the different therapies used in treating personality disorders.
What Is Beauty - What is Beauty research papers examine the definition of beauty and the philosophic topic of beauty. What is Beauty? is an ambiguous question that the philosophy writers at Paper Masters can help explicate for you on any one particular concept or on the overall notion of beauty.